site.btaMinister Nankov: Bulgaria, Romania Need More Bridges on Danube

116 ECONOMY - REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTER - CONNECTIVITY

Minister Nankov: Bulgaria,
Romania Need More Bridges
on Danube


Veliko Turnovo/Gorna Oryahovitsa, North Central Bulgaria, August 14 (BTA) - Regional Development and Public Works Minister Nikolay Nankov Tuesday said that Bulgaria and Romania need more bridges on the Danube. Given the actual traffic data and the forthcoming construction of the Rousse-Veliko Turnovo motorway, a fast connection to Pan-European Corridor IX will become necessary, and this will lead to the construction of a second bridge near Rousse, he underscored.

On Tuesday, Nankov unveiled the repaired road between Gorna Oryahovitsa and Arbanassi. It is part of the road connecting Veliko Turnovo and Gorna Oryahovitsa, which is used by some 7,000 cars a day.

According to Nankov, the Rousse-Veliko Turnovo motorway can be built both with budget resources and private investments. Another option is to construct the motorway in stages by including the new bridge on the Danube and the tunnel under Mount Shipka as a single investment. Which option will be applied will be decided this autumn.

The infrastructure in Northern Bulgaria will be funded with priority with resources from the executive budget. At the same time, the parameters of Chinese companies for future investments are several hundred million euro initially and up to one billion and a half euro for the entire motorway, Nankov said. In his words, the talks with Chinese investors are at a very advanced stage, and two companies have expressed strong interest.

Nankov described as inevitable the construction of a Northern Road Junction near Veliko Turnovo, the designing of which is at an advanced stage. The junction will be part of the motorway to Rousse so that the traffic of heavy-duty trucks can go around instead of through Veliko Turnovo, he explained.

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