Bulgarian Regional Minister Lilyana Pavlova said that the government plans to construct a motorway rather than a high-speed road between Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo.

Pavlova made this statement in a response to a question posed by a member of parliament, daily Sega reports.

The heavy traffic on this route, which is largely caused by heavy vehicles traveling through the Danube Bridge, necessitated the change in intentions.

Even the roundabout, which was constructed near the town of Byala, has not managed to ameliorate the traffic and heavy incidents continue to take place on a regular basis.

The budget of the road infrastructure agency foresees the allocation of BGN 4 M for the construction of the future motorway.

The motorway, which is estimated to cost BGN 870 M, will have a length of 110 kilometres.

The project was submitted and applied for funding under the Investment Plan of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Negotiations are also to be launched with the European Investment Bank (EIB).

There is an opportunity that the project can be included in the future EIB-funded programme European transport corridors, which is to succeed the current Transit Roads V.

Pavlova reminded that the road between Veliko Tarnovo and Ruse is part of the pan-European transport corridor IX, which is among the priority routes of the European Commission.