News

“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.

The search and rescue operation was officially declared over today at 15:00.

The operation resumed in the morning at 10:30, with the area being surveyed by a Bulgarian Navy vessel. 

At 14:30 operations were halted owing to a sharp deterioration in the weather – strong north-northeasterly winds gusting up to 72 km/h, reduced visibility due to precipitation and sea state 5 – which led to the termination of the operation.

The search and rescue operation for sailors from the stricken vessel “HS Dignity” resumed at 10:30. The area will be searched by a Bulgarian Navy vessel.

The active phase of the search and monitoring operation in the area of the incident was temporarily suspended yesterday at 18:00. The decision was taken due to the onset of darkness and difficult hydrometeorological conditions, following 16 hours of continuous coordinated rescue operations.

Nine vessels and two helicopters actively participated in the search of the areas, alongside vessels passing nearby.

The motor vessel CHELSEA-3, sailing under the Maltese flag with a crew of 15, was attacked at 01:15, 17 nautical miles east of the town of Byala. Following the incident, the vessel dropped anchor. All 15 crew members were rescued. The vessel was sailing in ballast from the Turkish Black Sea port of Giresun to Giurgiulești. 

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will apply nationwide the successful experience of the Municipality of Burgas in building training grounds for the safe driving of young drivers. During a working meeting between Georgi Peev, Minister of Transport and Communications, and the city’s mayor, Dimitar Nikolov, the transport connectivity of the region was discussed. 

Georgi Peev, Minister of Transport and Communications, took part in the Circular Gaia Symposium forum, in the panel “Green Infrastructure and Climate Resilience”.

He noted that among Bulgaria’s main priorities are promoting environmentally friendly modes of transport and developing sustainable transport infrastructure.

“Work on Corridor VIII is moving from documents and declared intentions to real action,” said Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Hristina Velinova at the opening of Panel 2, “Transport, Energy and Economic Connectivity”, at the International Conference on Corridor VIII in Sofia. She pointed out that, in the current geopolitical situation, the Sofia – Skopje – Durrës – Bari route is important not only for trade and regional development, but also for security and military mobility within the framework of EU-NATO cooperation.

Urgent steps have been taken and the Corridor VIII project is moving forward at an accelerated pace following the meetings of the Joint Committee in Sofia and Skopje. This was stated by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, speaking to journalists during the International Conference on Corridor VIII, held at the Hyatt Regency Sofia hotel.

In response to reports received from members of the public and the petition to retain the Ruse–Plovdiv–Ruse rail link, an urgent meeting was held on the initiative of the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, between representatives of the Railway Administration Executive Agency, the National Railway Infrastructure Company, BDZ – Passenger Services and Ivkoni Express, with Ruse Municipality taking part online.

The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, held a working meeting with the trade unions of the Transport sector of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB). The discussion was attended by the President of CITUB, Plamen Dimitrov, and the Chairman of the Federation of Transport Trade Unions at CITUB, Aleksandar Shopov. Deputy Minister Tsveta Timeva and representatives of the maritime and air transport trade unions also took part.