Minister Rossen Jeliazkov: Development of railway infrastructure creates new jobs

Development of railway infrastructure has a direct impact on the creation of new jobs, as stated Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Rossen Jeliazkov during a video conference of the Ministers of Transport of the EU member states. He added that the deployment of the sector is crucial for the preservation of the investment level as well as for the promotion of multimodality.

The transfer of a larger share of passenger and freight flows to the railways is one of the most effective ways to decarbonise the transport sector", said the Bulgarian Minister too. The rapid digitalization pace of the railway transport, the introduction of energy efficient rolling stock and the exploration of opportunities for the use of alternative fuels should be among the key measures of the transport sector. They are the base for achieving the EU goal to reduce green-house gas emissions in transport by 90 % by 2050.

Minister Jeliazkov underlined that the railway freight flows have increased by 10 % and this trend is expected to continue in the future. The mordernization of railway infrastructure is a prerequisite for that. "Better quality of railway infrastructure ensures higher levels of safety and security and at the same time contributes to the shift of passenger and freight flows to railway transport", he also added.

Rossen Jeliazkov confirmed in his statement the readiness of Bulgaria to construct a ticket platform for international railway journeys as a long-term goal. He also noted that the existing mechanisms guarantee the rendering of railway public passenger services. They are a prerequisite for the development of new international services.