site.btaRuse - Veliko Tarnovo Motorway Designated National Project to Streamline Procedures

The caretaker government has designated the project for a motorway between Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo a national project in order to streamline and step up the procedures for approval of the required detailed plan, for compulsory purchase of land and for investment. The government decision was made public by Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov after the government's weekly meeting on Wednesday.

"This motorway is part of the most important North-South corridor and its significance goes beyond Bulgaria and across Europe," said Shishkov.

In his words, it is a step towards "doing away with the 10-year chaos in road design and construction" in Bulgaria.

The detailed plan of the motorway has been prepared, as well as the design for the motorway stretch between Ruse and Byala and the Byala bypass, which are two of the three parts of the motorway. A national expert council is expected to approve the detailed plan next week, paving the way to the compulsory purchase procedure and the construction.

"Our ambition is not to stop here with the planning. We will order a design of the entire transport corridor all the way to the Makaza border crossing [on the border with Greece]," said also the Minister.

At its weekly meeting, the government also approved revisions of the Sofia master plan that reflect the needs of a project for expanding the Sofia underground train service. The expansion will be 6 km and will have 6 stations. Now the Sofia local authorities can prepare a detailed plan and the investment projects, and contract the construction itself.