A new 7.8km stretch of the eastern part of Bulgaria's Hemus highway was inaugurated on Thursday.

The section connects the northeastern city of Shumen to the village of Belokopitovo and is expected to ease traffic along the Shumen ring road, according to reports of Bulgaria's Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA).

The ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday was attended by Regional Development Minister Desislava Terzieva, RIA Director Lazar Lazarov.

The constriction of the 7.8km highway section was funded from the state budget.

The contractor of the BGN 45 M project was the Black Sea AD company.

During the construction works, two overpasses and one agricultural underpass were built, as well as 21 minor road facilities.

Speaking Thursday at the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Terzieva suggested that the Hemus highway could be completed by 2018.

"The Hemus highway is on the indicative list of the Transport Operational Program and the project will seek EU funding. If no EU resources are granted, other sources of funding will be sought, but the Hemus highway will be built," Terzieva assured, according to reports of the Focus news agency.

Two days ago, Terzieva inaugurated a section of the Struma highway, while more than a week ago, she cut the ribbon on the completed Trakia highway.

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