site.btaBurgas, Varna Airports Ready for Growth, Municipalities Plan Better Cooperation
The airports in Burgas and Varna have modernized infrastructure and are ready to handle significantly higher passenger volumes in the coming years, Michael Reusch, CEO of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, said during the Meeting of businesses from the Black Sea Region in Burgas on Thursday. The event was organized by Capital Weekly.
He noted that over the past 20 years the concessionaire company has invested more than EUR 200 million in Burgas and Varna Airports, with safety as the top priority. Reusch emphasized that both airports are among the best prepared in Europe and could even handle major events on short notice. The company has also invested heavily in infrastructure, including a EUR 60 million runway project in Burgas, and employs over 1,000 people along the Black Sea coast, while also developing plans for green airports.
Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov stated that local authorities should have greater freedom in managing EU funds, arguing that decentralization would lead to more effective investments and stronger accountability. He stressed that municipalities are best positioned to define regional priorities and that Bulgaria still lacks real decentralization, with too many decisions concentrated in the country's capital.
He also highlighted the strategic importance of closer cooperation between Burgas and Varna, including their joint bid to host the Eurovision Song Contest, and called for the construction of the Black Sea motorway as a key infrastructure project. According to him, combining transport, education, and innovation could turn the region into a major economic hub, supported by universities, technology, and high-value industries.
Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev emphasized that Varna and Burgas should focus on cooperation rather than competition, viewing the Black Sea region as a single strategic and economic space. He pointed out that joint work should extend across all coastal municipalities and be guided by a shared development vision, supported by strong infrastructure and investment.
Kotsev also stressed that infrastructure is essential for security, logistics, and economic growth, pointing to projects such as the Black Sea motorway and the completion of the Hemus Motorway as key European priorities. He added that improving connectivity along major international corridors linking Asia and Europe is crucial for the region’s long-term development.
The event brought together business representatives, local government officials, and experts to discuss the potential and challenges facing the Black Sea region.
/RD/
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