Bulgaria and Romania are simultaneously launching five-position feasibility studies on both sides of the Danube to build new bridges, the Sofia Transport Ministry said in a statement. 24Chasataken over by Rador.
The announcement was made after a meeting in Bucharest of the Bulgarian-Romanian Working Group on Connectivity, under the auspices of the two prime ministers. On the Bulgarian side, the delegation is led by the Minister of Transport, Nikolai Sabev, and on the Romanian side – by Sorin Grindeanu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure. The Bulgarian delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Bucharest, Radko Vlaikov.
A participant in the meeting said that the simultaneous feasibility studies for the five bridges are a success, after so many years only statements have been heard.
Bulgaria has also pledged to dredge the Danube, which is a priority for Romanians. “The Bulgarian side will respond appropriately to this, and from June 20 the Danube River Study and Maintenance Executive Agency will start dredging the river with its own funds, and within a week it will announce a public tender for dredging activities.” said Sabev.
Minister Sabev said funds worth 15 million levs had been secured for the deepening of the Danube. “The documentation has been prepared and has already been sent to the Public Procurement Agency for prior control, and the funds have been distributed for a period of 3 years,” he explained.
Regarding the joint Fast Danube project for the deepening of the river, Săbev and Grindeanu agreed that, by the end of 2022, a joint working group should prepare a joint project for the financing from the European Commission of the planned engineering measures on the river. Minister Sabev informed his Romanian counterpart that Bulgaria was fully prepared for the inauguration of the Ruse-Giurgiu ferry line and suggested that a joint border check be carried out in Ruse, while the necessary conditions were created in Giurgiu.
Deputy Prime Minister Grindeanu pledged to cooperate with local authorities to speed up activities in Giurgiu. The Bulgarian side intends to start repair work on its side at the Danube Bridge I, in July, which from the point of view of the Romanian delegation could create serious problems for tourist and trade flows. Minister Sabev will discuss the issue with Deputy Prime Minister Grozdan Karadjov, so that time for repairs can be planned without traffic between the two countries.
Rador translation: Mirela Petrescu / Photo: Bridge over the Danube Vidin – Calafat / Source: FCC
–
