site.btaBulgaria Takes Over Rotating TRASECA Intergovernmental Commission Chairmanship

October 21 (BTA) - At the 15th Meeting of member
countries signatory to the Basic Multilateral Agreement on
International Transport for Development of the Europe - the
Caucasus - Asia Corridor (TRASECA), caretaker Transport,
Information Technology and Communications Minister Hristo
Alexiev took over on behalf of Bulgaria the Chairmanship of
TRASECA for the next mandate, his Ministry said on Thursday.

Speaking at the meeting, Alexiev outlined the programme's
current main priorities. These include removal of institutional
and legal barriers before transport and international trade;
development of the railway and motor vehicle sector, rail and
ferryboat connections; sea routes and multimodal transport. He
also expressed a desire to boost cooperation with the European
Commission and international organizations, hand in hand with
guaranteed alignment of requirements and standards for the
different types of transport.

The Bulgarian Government has focused on the development of
modern rail and road infrastructure along the East-West axis to
provide favourable conditions for free movement of goods and
people, Alexiev underscored. The prospects for the development
of the road and rail infrastructure along the TRASECA involve
the establishment of fast, coordinated and secure transport
connection across Europe and to the southeast - towards Turkey,
Central and Eastern Asia.

The efforts for further upgrading of Bulgaria's two largest
Black Sea ports of Varna and Burgas continue with both private
and public funds, the Minister said further. These ports are
essential in providing fast and reliable maritime transport
between TRASECA countries./LG/BR

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