site.btaEU Cohesion Fund to Invest EUR 110 Mln-Plus in Modernization of Railway in Southwestern Bulgaria

The European Commission said on Friday that it had approved an investment of more than EUR 110 million from the Cohesion Fund for the first phase of a project modernizing a railway corridor in Southwestern Bulgaria, part of a bigger TEN-T network between Sofia and the Serbian border.

The modernization concerns a 33.34 km long section between Voluyak and Dragoman. The section of railway line links western Bulgaria with Serbia and is part of the transport corridor linking Turkey with Western and Central Europe.

EU Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira said: "This new investment brings Cohesion Policy's added value to the local level: at the service of citizens in Bulgaria, ensuring connectivity of border regions and sustainable transport infrastructures as part of the larger European network. Such investments are important for economic activity in the region and promote social and territorial cohesion. The project has environmental benefits, encouraging a shift of cargo flows from road to rail and will result in less noise and air pollution, thus improving the residents' quality of life."

In the first phase of the project, the existing single track will be modernized and a second electrified track will be laid. The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system ensuring the monitoring and control of railway traffic on the line will also be upgraded. The modernization will contribute to interoperability, particularly along cross-border sections, benefiting both citizens and businesses in the region. This project is in line with the European Green Deal to promote sustainable transport and remove bottlenecks in key network infrastructures.