News

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, held an urgent conversation with the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, due to the build-up of trucks at the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The two discussed options for a swift solution and for normalising traffic through the crossing point.

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, is calling on the Hungarian side to provide navigation corridors on the Danube River that would allow Bulgarian vessels stranded in the Hungarian section of the river to be moved out. Granting time windows for the movement of vessels that have been unable to continue their journey for weeks was the main topic of a telephone conversation with Hungarian Minister of Transport and Investment Dávid Vitézy.

The working groups tasked with finalizing the allocation of rolling stock, the lease of buildings and tracks, the train timetable, and the joint ticketing system between BDZ and “Ivkoni Express” following December 13, 2026, have reached an agreement. Today, representatives of both companies, together with the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) and the Railway Administration Executive Agency, reported their outcomes during a meeting with the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev.

Bulgarian authorities are monitoring in real time the movement of the capsized cargo vessel “Khoryv,” which is expected to enter the Bulgarian zone of responsibility within the next 24 hours. The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, and the Minister of Defence, Dimitar Stoyanov, held a meeting where courses of action were coordinated to ensure the safety of navigation.

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, and the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Hristina Velinova, held a meeting with H.E. Fahad Ibrahim Al-Mushairi, Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Bulgaria. The main focus of the discussion was the restoration of the direct air route between Sofia and Doha, operated by Qatar Airways for 15 years until the suspension of flights in February 2026.

Bulgaria is working to establish itself as a transport and logistics hub connecting Europe, the Western Balkans, and the Black Sea region, stated Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev during his participation in the Sofia Economic Forum.

Speaking on the panel “Hardwiring the Region: Strategic Infrastructure and Connectivity in Southeast Europe,” Minister Peev highlighted the development of vertical transport corridors, cross-border connections, and the need for closer cooperation among the countries of the region.

Opportunities for more effective information exchange between healthcare institutions and the Ministry of Interior with a view to improving road safety were discussed at an inter-institutional meeting. It was hosted by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, and attended by the Minister of Health, Katya Ivkova, and her deputy, Nikolay Valov, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Kaloyan Kaloyanov, representatives of the Ministry of Finance, as well as medical and administrative experts from healthcare institutions in which medical expert commissions operate.

The priority is to guarantee good working conditions and security for the employees who will transfer to Ivkoni Express. This was stated by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, during a meeting with representatives of the trade unions in the railway sector and the management of BDZ. 

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, and Deputy Minister Hristina Velinova held a meeting with a team from the International Finance Corporation, engaged by the previous government to carry out an analysis of the concessionaire’s performance of the concession contract for Vasil Levski Sofia Airport with regard to restoring the economic balance of the concession and resuming the payment of the concession fee.

“For the first time, a Bulgarian expert has received such a high distinction as the Jerome Lederer Safety Leadership Medal. It is an honour for me to congratulate Tzvetomir Blajev on this exceptional recognition. This is an award in the field of civil aviation that highlights the great professionalism and authority of Bulgarian specialists on the international stage,” said the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev.

The newly acquired vessels “Timok” and “Dismar”, delivered under the DISMAR project for the modernisation of navigation infrastructure, were officially named today in Ruse. The godmother of the two vessels was the European Coordinator for the Rhine–Danube Transport Corridor, Margarida Marques.

During the official ceremony, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Anna Natova pointed out that these new vessels have an extremely practical task, namely fairway marking.

“The Danube cannot be the priority of a single country. Its water level at Ruse is the result of what happens in other regions of Europe – Bavaria, the Alps and the Carpathians,” said Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Anna Natova at the opening of the international conference “Challenges and Prospects for the Development of Navigation on the Danube River” in the city of Ruse.

With a package of 31 measures and legislative changes, the State is working around the clock to bring road safety under control, said the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev. He and Deputy Minister of Transport Hristina Velinova took part in a safe driving demonstration training session at the Drakon race track near the village of Kaloyanovo, organised jointly with the civic initiative “SIYANIE”.

An A320 aircraft operating flight OS82 from Tel Aviv to Vienna was diverted to Sofia this evening following a bomb threat. According to initial information, there are 6 crew members and 51 passengers on board.

While over the border with Romania, the crew reported receiving a bomb threat and decided to make an emergency landing in Sofia. 

In accordance with procedures, a Bulgarian Air Force fighter jet took off and escorted the aircraft until it landed at Sofia Airport. 

Following a complex rescue operation in severe weather conditions, the drone-struck motor vessel “Chelsea-3” was successfully towed to Burgas. The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, was at the port to welcome the rescue team and announced that the procurement procedure for the delivery of the first new rescue vessel will begin next year.

Five working groups will develop specific solutions to the key issues related to the provision of rail services from 13 December 2026. The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, set a two-week deadline for completing preparations for the provision of rail passenger services by a state-owned and a private operator. At the beginning of 2026, a contract was concluded under which Ivkoni Express will take over 25% of rail passenger services.

At the initiative of the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, a meeting was held with representatives of road freight carriers to discuss ways of reducing congestion and improving traffic management at Kapitan Andreevo Border Crossing Point.

An operation is under way to tow MV “Chelsea-3” now that the vessel’s anchor has taken hold on the seabed, keeping the ship stable. The vessel is located 12.5 nautical miles south of Cape Maslen and 10.7 nautical miles east of Lozenets. A second vessel of the same shipowner, “Chelsea-2”, will also join the operation.

The operation to secure and tow the drifting motor vessel “Chelsea-3” has been temporarily suspended by order of the Harbour Master of Burgas. The suspension was prompted by a sharp deterioration in hydrometeorological conditions and heavy seas in the area.

Despite the severe conditions, the specialised tug “Aliot” managed to reach the vessel at 12:45. An inspection was carried out with a view to transferring an emergency team on board, but the weather conditions did not allow this and posed a serious risk to the safety of the teams.

The Executive Agency “Maritime Administration” (EAMA) has launched an operation to secure MV “Chelsea-3” after the vessel began to drift. The ship has entered the 12-nautical-mile zone east of Primorsko.

The worsening hydrometeorological conditions caused the vessel to drift southwards from its original position.