site.btaHemus Motorway Expected to Be Fully Completed by End of 2029 or Early 2030 - Regional Development and Public Works Minister

Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov Sunday said that the Hemus Motorway is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2029 or the beginning of 2030. He was speaking during an inspection of the newly opened section of the motorway between the Boaza and Dermantsi interchanges.

The minister said that, within a short period, construction work has resumed on numerous infrastructure projects that had been halted during the recent period of political instability.

“What is happening today is symbolic for everyone living in northern Bulgaria, because without the Hemus Motorway, this region has no future,” Ivanov said. In his words, the newly opened stretch will ease traffic in the Pleven–Ruse direction, and travellers heading to Varna will now have a more convenient route.

Ivanov said that the current section of the motorway cost BGN 300 million. For next year, the Ministry has envisaged BGN 6 billion for road infrastructure in the draft budget submitted to the Finance Ministry.

He added that within a month to a month and a half, another section of the Hemus Motorway - approximately 3 km to 3.5 km long - is expected to open, improving access to Varna.

“The delays were due to the four years of continuous elections. There are no technical obstacles; we are simply resuming construction and accelerating the pace so that traffic can start by early November and travellers heading to Varna can bypass critical points like Balgarski Izvor and Sopot, where many road accidents have occurred,” the Minister said.