Bulgarian PM Borisov (right) opened a repaired section of the Hemus Highway, making it clear he hoped to fix the country's roads by 2012 with EU money. Photo by BGNES
Bulgaria’s infrastructure should look very differently by 2012, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov vowed.
Borisov opened Tuesday a 15-km rehabilitated section of the Hemus Highway from Varna to Slanchevo.
He pointed out that Bulgaria’s EU Funds Minister, Tomislav Donchev, is heading Tuesday on his first visit to Brussels since his position was established in March 2010.
Donchev is going to have talks with the EU Commissioners for regional policy, agriculture, and labor. According to the PM, the EU Funds Minister will be negotiating with the EC in order to get EU money for fixing Bulgaria’s roads.
Borisov said that the entire country will look differently if it could get about EUR 1 B; however, currently, the state can afford only to repair sections of up to 10-15 km.
The rehabilitation of the 15-km highway section was completed in 2 years; it cost BGN 4.8 M, most of which came from the European Regional Development Fund; 6 km of adjacent roads were also repaired under the project for a total of BGN 4.7 M.