Bulgaria is in the top 10 in the EU in production and export of bicycles and components. This was stated by Deputy Minister for Transport and Communications Anna Mihneva-Natova during a meeting of the Informal Council of EU Transport Ministers, which took place on 3–4 April 2024 in Brussels.
EU ministers sign a declaration on the promotion and development of cycling, in which countries commit to developing the full potential of bicycles as a means of transport and their important role in urban mobility.
Deputy Minister Natova explained that the good development of the country in this area presupposes high economic potential and benefits for small and medium-sized businesses in the field of production and services. Anna Mihneva-Natova gave the example of a number of Bulgarian cities that have already developed programmes for the development of bicycle transport.
‘Municipalities are developing accompanying measures such as bike rental systems, bike parking and bike lanes. These measures are mainly supported by European funds’, said Deputy Minister Natova.
During a session dedicated to strengthening the sustainability of European transport networks, Deputy Minister Natova underlined the importance of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and that Bulgaria is a beneficiary of a number of projects implemented with CEF funding. She stressed that Bulgaria's main priority is the construction and modernisation of transport infrastructure, which is a key component of national and European security.
