Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov has announced that improving the safety of railway transport will be his top priority. Speaking at the Sofia Economic Forum, Karadjov emphasized the need to address the growing number of railway incidents. He noted that there would be a comprehensive review of the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) and the two Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) companies, one handling passenger transport and the other focused on freight. The Minister stated that the increasing frequency of railway accidents signals serious flaws in the security system that need to be addressed.

A meeting with the railway companies’ leadership and the investigating body for rail accidents was convened to find urgent solutions to these issues. Karadjov confirmed that the focus of his administration will be on improving traffic safety, particularly in light of recent tragic events. He expressed his commitment to ensuring road safety as well, given the interconnected nature of transport security.

At the forum, Karadjov also discussed Bulgaria’s strategic transport goals. He highlighted the importance of the full integration of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen Area, calling it a significant regional development. The Minister noted that Bulgaria’s transport, energy, and digital infrastructure projects are key to economic growth and regional development, with efforts already underway.

Among these projects is Corridor #8, which will connect the Adriatic and Black Seas, providing a critical logistics route. The corridor's importance has only grown in the current geopolitical context, and several related infrastructure projects are already under construction, including railways connecting major cities such as Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, and Varna, with investments exceeding BGN 3 billion.

Minister Karadjov also mentioned the upcoming construction of a railway line from Gyueshevo to the border with North Macedonia, funded by the Transport Component Program. A draft agreement has been sent to the Republic of North Macedonia to address financing and management issues for the project. Additionally, efforts are underway to restore the direct railway connection between Sofia, Kulata, and Thessaloniki, which would pave the way for a multimodal railway corridor linking Thessaloniki, Sofia, Vidin, and Calafat in Romania.

The Minister also highlighted a recent meeting with his Greek counterpart, Christos Staikouras, where they discussed organizing a tripartite meeting with Romania to jointly request EU funding for two key projects. These include the Thessaloniki-Vidin Corridor and the Alexandroupolis-Burgas Corridor, which will connect Greece’s ports to Bulgaria's Varna, Burgas, and Ruse. Karadjov expressed hope that these projects would progress rapidly in the coming months, helping to accelerate regional transport development.

The Sofia Economic Forum, a high-level gathering of political, corporate, and intellectual leaders, was the setting for these discussions, addressing urgent challenges facing Bulgaria, Europe, and the world.

Source:

• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)
• Bulgarian National Television (BNT)
• Nova TV