site.btaBulgaria, Greece to Set Up Multimodal Corridor between Black Sea, Aegean and Danube

Thessaloniki, July 6 (BTA) - Bulgaria and Greece agreed on broadening the scope of their multimodal corridor linking the Black Sea ports of Varna and Bourgas and the Aegean ports of Kavala and Alexandroupolis.

At a meeting between Bulgarian Transport, Information Technology and Communications Minister Ivaylo Moskovski and Greek Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis in Thessaloniki on Thursday, the Greek side accepted Bulgaria's proposal to add a link to the port of Rousse (on the Danube) to the joint project, Moskovski's Ministry said in a press release. In this way, full multimodality of the corridor will be achieved, covering road, rail, sea and river transport, and direct access to the countries along the River Danube will be ensured.

At the meeting, Spirtzis proposed that a rail link to the port of Thessaloniki be included in the corridor so as to reach larger trade markets. The two transport ministers concurred that this is a high value added project and is expected to draw major investors from the Middle East and Central Asia, China, Russia and other large markets.

Moskovski and Spirtzis considered the establishment of a joint project company through which the two countries will apply for EU financing for the joint setting up and operation of the entire corridor. The sides will shortly request an appointment with EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc to particularize the model along which the company will be set up.

The two ministers discussed the adoption of uniform standards for port, rail and multimodal services between the two neighbouring countries. The idea is to have one-stop-shop processing of all documents for the entire corridor, easing the administrative burden and facilitating business.

The two countries will shortly sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the setting up of the Rousse-Varna-Bourgas-Alexandroupolis-Kavala-Thessaloniki Corridor. Moskovski proposed to his Greek counterpart that Bulgaria host the signing of the document after its text is finalized.

Spirtzis said that Greek will give Bulgaria full support during the Presidency of the EU Council in 2018 and hopes that topics of mutual interest to all countries in the region are put up to discussion.