Public Relations and Protocol

We are already working to provide more trains on the route between Plovdiv and Edirne as an alternative to the ever increasing car traffic. This was said by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov at a meeting today with the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey H. E. Eileen Sekizkok. He added that two trains a day — one in each direction — currently run on this destination.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will strengthen control over the implementation of the of Sofia Airport concession. According to the concession contract, a joint committee of the Ministry and representatives of the concessionaire must meet every month to regularly monitor the implementation of the contract. This became clear during today's meeting of the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov with the Executive Director of Sofia Airport Jesus Caballero.

The digital sector is one of the fastest growing in Bulgaria and we are in the top 10 countries with the fastest mobile internet in the world. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Grigori Grigorov, who represented Bulgaria in the high-level panel within the Council of the International Telecommunication Union. The event took place from 7 to 11 July 2023 in Zheneva.

Bulgarian Posts has sufficient resources for development, but wrong management decisions and lack of long-term strategy have hindered this process so far. This is what the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov said on the occasion of the prepared restructuring plan of the company, which will be presented to the European Commission in September.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is interested in investing in the construction of a second bridge between Ruse and Giurgiu, as well as in railway infrastructure projects in Bulgaria. This became clear during a meeting between the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov and the EBRD Director for Bulgaria Anca Ionescu. The two discussed partnership opportunities for the implementation of the upcoming investments in the transport sector.

The deadlines for the completion of infrastructure projects under EU-funded programmes are very important. We are open to solving all cases in dialogue to avoid delays. This was stated by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov at a meeting with the leadership of the Bulgarian Chamber of Builders.  
The Ministry of Transport and Communications is the structure that strictly follows the methodology for indexation of construction contracts, said the President of the Board Eng. Ilian Terziev. 

Our policy is aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of the transport sector, in line with the principles of security, safety, energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. We have started active work on accelerating all transport projects that are linked to the implementation of the European Union's green and digital transition objectives.

It is not true that the contract for the supply of medical helicopters includes training of pilots and medical teams. This is what the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov said in the programme ‘Offensive with Lyubo Ognyanov’ on the occasion of today's words of the caretaker minister Hristo Alexiev that the contract includes training of pilots and medical teams in real conditions. Gvozdeykov added that all documentation on the public procurement is public and easily accessible, and anyone can verify the veracity of these statements.

I have briefed the Prime Minister in detail on the helicopter situation in the area of the Garden Camp on 1 July and a decision has been taken to dismiss the Director General of the Directorate General ‘Civil Aviation Administration’. This was announced before journalists by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov. The reason is both the specific flight incident, which is against all the rules, and the reasons to believe that this is not an isolated incident, but rather a recurrence.

Interactive videos in the theory tests will measure the knowledge of driver candidates. The videos were presented to the media today by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dimitar Nedyalkov and the Executive Director of the Executive Agency ‘Automobile Administration’ Boiko Ranovski. 

By mid-September is the deadline to apply for funding for feasibility studies for the construction of a second bridge between Bulgaria and Romania at Ruse—Giurgiu.

20 years of his life have passed in the world of high speeds and it is from this position that he knows how dangerous a car can be when not driven sensibly. This is how the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov opened a ceremony for the awarding of the first Annual Awards ‘Initiatives to support road safety’, organized by the State Agency Road Safety. 

A week ago we opened the first application procedures for the Transport Connectivity Programme. The investments are worth more than BGN 2.9 billion and will be directed to major road and rail infrastructure projects. This is what Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Gvozdeykov said in his speech at the Sofia Economic Forum, which is taking place today in Sofia. Minister Gvozdeykov presented the transport projects that focus on regional connectivity between Bulgaria and Greece.

The Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov and the Minister of Interior Kalin Stoyanov held an urgent meeting with the Bulgarian Ambassador in Bucharest H.E. Radko Vlaykov to discuss the situation with the crossing of the border checkpoints Vidin—Calafat and Ruse—Giurgiu and to identify measures to solve the problem.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works will work together to solve the problems in the transport sector. The development of the sector is among the priorities in the management of Ministers Georgi Gvozdeykov and Andrey Tsekov. The two have already held several meetings on the subject.

Early next week, they will hold talks with representatives of the freight and bus industries to discuss the top priority tasks they will work on together in the medium term.

Orders are expected to be launched again in a month

More than EUR 1.5 billion will be invested under the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021—2027, which will finance various modes of environmentally friendly transport in Bulgaria. This is what the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov said in his speech today at the Green Week 2023 Forum: The Green Transition in Central and Eastern European Countries 2023.

Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov met in Sofia with Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure of Kosovo Liburn Aliu. Minister Gvozdeykov pointed out that transport policies and connectivity are at the heart of economic growth and deepening trade relations between the countries in the region. He stressed that Bulgaria will support at the European Union level any initiative for the development of transport connectivity in the region.

The hauliers highlighted the lack of drivers as a major problem facing the sector. They say the business needs 3,000 bus and truck drivers. The issue of shortening the time for obtaining a work permit for drivers from outside the European Union was raised, as well as the creation of a targeted state policy for the training of personnel in Bulgaria.

Today at the Inter Expo Centre in the city of Sofia the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov launched the second edition of the specialized forum for unmanned aviation ‘Inter Drone Expo’. The exhibition is the first in the region that gives everyone the opportunity to learn about unmanned aerial systems. The Minister of Innovation and Growth Milena Stoycheva also took part in the event.