“The motto of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU “Security, Europe!“ is a call for more protection for people and borders. More security means a strong army and police, but also more freedom for the economy. To achieve these goals, we need better transport infrastructure, especially for countries like Bulgaria, which are an external border for the Union“. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov at an international conference in Poland on the future and effectiveness of transport financing in the upcoming multiannual financial framework of the EU after 2027. The forum is attended by European ministers responsible for transport and infrastructure, representatives of the European Commission and non-governmental organizations.
Europe must plan more funds for the development of transport, the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister also said. According to him, increasing support for mobility is crucial for achieving economic growth, logistical efficiency and climate goals.
Significant investments are needed in rail transport, public transport and alternative fuels. Smart mobility and intelligent traffic systems also require increased funding, added Grozdan Karadjov.
In his address, he stressed that many regions, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, still need better transport infrastructure to meet EU standards. “That is why the European Commission should continue to focus on this issue both from a budgetary perspective and as support for enhanced transport integration in the Black Sea and Western Balkans region. The war in Ukraine has shifted priorities, emphasizing the need for secure and sustainable transport corridors, especially for energy and military mobility“, the Deputy Prime Minister was categorical.
The support of our European partners for the continuation of the projects on the North-South transport corridor was the topic of the bilateral meetings held by Minister Grozdan Karadzhov with his colleagues from Greece, Poland, Finland, Cyprus and Lithuania. In front of the representative of Poland as a country presiding over the EU Council, Minister Karadzhov said: “There is no more difficult topic for me than the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, because many of the procedures and reforms in the last 3 years have been fatally delayed, and the reforms have not been prepared at all“. Grozdan Karadjov and Dariusz Klimczak expressed a common opinion that more realism and flexibility are needed in the EC's approach in order to implement the projects under the PPA.
The Bulgarian Ambassador to Poland, H.E. Ms. Margarita Ganeva, was also part of the Bulgarian delegation.