EU Commission Grants EUR 1.6 B to Bulgaria for Transport

Bulgaria receives EUR 1.6 billion from the European Union (EU) for the improvement of transport connections.

The European Commission approved the sum of EUR 1.9 billion under Operational Programme Transport for the 2014-2020 period, from which Bulgaria has to contribute EUR 300 million.

The programme is aimed at development of the Trans-European Transport Network and making transport in Bulgaria safer and more sustainable, private bTV station reports.

It foresees the construction of both railway and road infrastructure - new and modernised railways with a total length of 190 kilometres and a 62-kilometre long motorway.

Most of the funds are projected for the completion of Struma motorway, which is of key importance for the connection between Sofia and Thessaloniki, which is vital part of the Pan-European Germany-Greece corridor.

Large sections of the Sofia-Septemvri and Plovdiv-Burgas railways are to be reconstructed or modernised with the aid of these funds.

The extension of the Sofia underground network will provide the citizens with safe, fast, and ecological transport, as well as direct connections to the airport, the central railway station and various tram and bus lines.