site.btaUPDATED Roundtable Discussing Transport of the Future, Pure Energy

A roundtable on the transport of the future and pure energy at a fair price is being held in Sofia. Among the participants are Vice President Iliana Iotova, Deputy Prime Minister Borislav Sandov, ministers, MEPs, members of Parliament and business representatives.

The forum is organized by Petar Vitanov, head of the delegation of Bulgarian Socialists to the European Parliament, jointly with Automotive Cluster Bulgaria.

Addressing the forum, Vice President Iotova said that today, transport and ecology in the EU equal security.  She warned that striving towards fast diversification and a sharp decrease in dependence on Russian energy supplies, the EU should avoid another threat: "in our wish to develop new deposits, we could become even more dependent on all those underground resources which are hardly to the benefit of the overall climate policy."

The development of renewable energy sources (RES) does not happen fast, she went on to say. "That is why we need new infrastructure, particularly on the European level, due to the European countries' big dependence," she argued. Until sustainable solutions are found for the storage of pure energy from RES, the power units in Bulgaria should not be written off, she argued.

The EU has the goal to be free of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2050, and it is high time that the implementation of the Fit for 55 package were considered in Bulgaria. A structured Bulgarian programme on this package is needed, Iotova said.

Vitanov said that the change of the economic and linear model that is being witnessed, is unavoidable. Transport is one of the biggest polluters, it is responsible for nearly 30 per cent of carbon emissions in Europe, he added. In his words, the future is in electric mobility, green trains and buses. Tuesday's roundtable creates the opportunity for legislators and representatives of NGOs, industry and business to come together and discuss common solutions that would help in the preparation for the economic transformation, Vitanov said.

Automotive Cluster Bulgaria Executive Director Lyubomir Stanislavov said that in the last 10 years, the number of employed in the production of vehicles and components in Bulgaria grew to over 70,000 from some 7,000 to 8,000. These companies' turnover increased to 6.5 billion leva from 500 million leva. They constitute around 10 per cent of Bulgaria's economy, he noted.

This is the most dynamically and quickly developing industry in Bulgaria. The development of electric vehicles and ever better software give Bulgaria the chance to have a leading position in this field, Stanislavov argued. 

Automotive Cluster Bulgaria Executive Director Lyubomir Stanislavov said that in the last 10 years, the number of employed in the production of vehicles and components in Bulgaria grew to over 70,000 from some 7,000-8,000. These companies' turnover increased to 6.5 billion leva from 500 million leva. They constitute around 10 per cent of Bulgaria's economy, he noted.

This is the most dynamically and quickly developing industry in Bulgaria. The development of electric vehicles and ever better software give Bulgaria the chance to have a leading position in this field, Stanislavov argued.