Public Relations and Protocol

As of today, the license of Swissport Bulgaria AD for carrying out ground handling activities at Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia has been suspended. The measure will remain in effect for up to two months, or until all recommendations have been implemented and identified non-compliances fully resolved. This was announced by Aneliya Marinova, Director General of the Directorate General “Civil Aviation Administration” (DG CAA)

As early as tomorrow, the ground handling license of Swissport Bulgaria AD, operating at Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia, will be temporarily revoked. Its operations will be taken over by the remaining two ground handling operators. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov during an emergency inspection at Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov is convening an emergency meeting in response to operational disruptions at Vasil Levski Airport – Sofia, and a serious incident that occurred yesterday, in which nearly 300 passengers arriving on a flight from London were stranded for almost an hour in the airbridge connecting the aircraft to the terminal. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov took part today in the National Roundtable on “Cybersecurity in the Defence of People, Education, and Society,” held in Sofia. The event was organized by the Academy of the Ministry of Interior and the University of Security and Economics – Plovdiv, in partnership with the Council of University Rectors.

During a meeting between Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Rosen Zhelyazkov and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria Grozdan Karadjov, and the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey Abdulkadir Uraloglu,  bilateral issues concerning transport cooperation between the two countries were discussed.

This procedure is not a race for subsidies; it is a race for better service to railway passengers. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov during a public discussion on the Draft Public Service Contract for Passenger Rail Transport The discussion was attended by representatives from academia, trade unions, railway organizations, experts, and other stakeholders.

Competition can deliver better quality services, and public-private partnerships yield tangible results. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov during the “Green Transition Forum 5.0.” “At present, 15 port terminals, four out of five airports, and one intermodal terminal in Bulgaria are under concession agreements and we are actively expanding this model. One of the successful examples, Sofia Airport, will resume concession fee payments starting next year,” he added.

DG CAA has identified numerous deficiencies in the operations of the ground handling companies servicing Sofia, Varna, and Burgas airports Since the beginning of the month, by order of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov, emergency inspections have been conducted of all ground handling operators at the three airports. 

The DG CAA has recommended that all Bulgarian airlines suspend flights to and from the Middle East, in light of rising tensions in the region. 

In an official letter to the aviation sector, the CAA advises carriers to reassess the risks associated with flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Erbil, and Tehran, and to submit the results of their risk assessments - along with their decision regarding continued operations to these destinations - to the CAA by June 18, 2025 An official  NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) is expected to be issued shortly.

Funding under the “Transport Connectivity” Programme 2021–2027 has been approved for two key sections of the Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo Motorway —  namely, the Ruse–Byala section and the Byala bypass. The announcement was made during the seventh meeting of the Programme Monitoring Committee, held in Sofia.

The total investment for both sections is nearly BGN 2 billion, of which more than BGN 1 billion comes in the form of non-repayable financial assistance from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 

We will no longer speak of digital nomadism, but of the opportunities that will arise not only to  for residents of sparsely populated areas, but also for future businesses that will develop their potential there. This was stated by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov during the signing ceremony of six contracts worth over BGN 443 million for the construction of digital networks across the country. "This is an significant step towards the digital transition. I would even call it a digital campaign into underpopulated areas - thosewith no market potential," the Prime Minister noted.

Public consultation on the conditions for awarding passenger rail services in Bulgaria began on 2 June.

Bulgaria is reviewing the European Commission's proposals under the Vehicle Technical Roadworthiness Package primarily through the lens of road safety and expects this focus to be maintained in the future. This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadjov, during a meeting of the EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council, held in Luxembourg. 

The General Directorate "Civil Aviation Administration" has launched an inspection of the ground handling operators operating at “Vasil Levski” Sofia Airport. The inspection was ordered by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadjov, following an increase in reports concerning poor conditions and unsatisfactory service provided to passengers at Bulgaria’s largest airport.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadjov, participated in a meeting in Brussels dedicated to the development of three strategic transport corridors between Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania.

By order of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadjov, the Executive Agency "Railway Administration" (EA RA) has launched an emergency inspection into the circumstances surrounding the derailment of a freight wagon travelling on the Devnya–Filipovo route, which occurred in the Konyovo–Kermen section. By 12 June, EA RA will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the maintenance and repair system for freight wagons operated by the carrier, the workshop responsible for the wagon’s repairs, as well as the accident site itself.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has published for public discussion a draft framework for setting the terms and procedures for selecting operators to provide passenger rail transport services within the country.

Starting today, teams from the Executive Agency “Automobile Administration” have begun 24-hour monitoring along the Botevgrad – Pleven – Vratsa – Montana – Vidin route. By order of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadjov, the measure will be implemented for an indefinite period. increased oversight is due to the rise in freight traffic in the region, caused by roadworks on the Botevgrad – Mezdra section.

Starting mid-June, we will launch daily express trains from Sofia to Burgas and Varna. These trains will have fewer stops, allowing for faster travel to the seaside during the summer season. This was announced today by the Vice Premier and Minister of Transport and Communications, Grozdan Karadzhov, following a working meeting on the Sofia-Burgas railway.

Due to frequent incidents involving trucks, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov ordered the formation of additional teams from the EA "Automobile Administration" over the holidays. The teams are in the field and are conducting on-site inspections of truck incidents and transport companies in various regions of the country.