The projects under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan are not moving at the required pace, there are critical delays, one of which is the order of 35 electric locomotives. This was said by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov at a meeting with the Ambassador of Germany Irene Planck. He informed that he has upcoming meetings with representatives of the European Commission in order to seek a flexible option for action and avoid losing money.
Karadzhov and Planck were categorical that the construction of Corridor 8 is a priority. “Two years ago, as Minister of Regional Development, I proposed projects for connectivity with Romania and North Macedonia. One of them is for the Dupnitsa - Gyueshevo expressway, for which I have begun preparations for geological exploration. And this is closely related to the other projects“, commented the Minister of Transport.
He recalled that a draft intergovernmental agreement for the construction and operation of the future Corridor VIII tunnel was delivered to North Macedonia on January 15, 2025.
The Minister of Transport also told Ambassador Irene Planck that the department will rely on German experience in the field of transport safety. “This is my main priority. While in railway transport the responsibility for safety lies with one institution, in road transport there are five administrations. As Deputy Prime Minister with the responsibility for road safety, I will bring together all institutions to outline a roadmap for joint actions“, added Karadzhov.
Ambassador Irene Planck expressed support for the efforts of the Ministry of Transport and Communications to modernize the transport infrastructure and for initiatives to improve safety. She emphasized the opportunities arising for Bulgaria from the Recovery and Resilience Plan.