site.btaTransport Minister Calls for Stronger EU Links Across the Danube

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov met with the EU’s Rhine-Danube Corridor Coordinator Margarida Marques and Baltic–Black–Aegean Corridor Coordinator Mario Mauro. The two European Commission representatives are visiting Bulgaria to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding between Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania, expected to be signed by the end of the year. Karadjov said at the meeting that more bridges across the Danube are not merely a bilateral issue between Bulgaria and Romania, they are a strategic priority for the prosperity of the entire European Union and collective security within NATO.

"The faster construction of the third Danube bridge and the signing of agreements for two additional bridges, Silistra–Calarasi and Nikopol–Turnu Magurele, are key Bulgarian priorities," Karadjov said. He noted that Bulgaria has accelerated procedures for the Fast Danube 2 project and carries out annual dredging to ensure year-round navigability of the river. "I am convinced that we will receive the strongest support from the European Commission. These projects go beyond national interests, they are of importance to the entire Union," he added.

Karadjov stressed that more bridges in one of Europe’s least developed regions would give a strong economic boost to the entire area. "Europe needs greater connectivity along the Danube. Every new bridge is an investment not only in infrastructure but in the future of our nations," he said, adding that the projects will stimulate the development of accompanying infrastructure, facilitating the movement of goods and people, creating jobs, and encouraging cross-border investment.

Margarida Marques highlighted that the new bridges could rely not only on funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) but also from the Cohesion Fund, which should be used actively. She noted that the regions on both sides of the Danube remain among the least developed in the EU, and that new bridges would help accelerate their economic development and overcome long-standing disparities.

Mario Mauro said that Bulgaria is not on the periphery of the EU but at the very centre of events, offering many opportunities. He added that the signing of the trilateral memorandum would be a success not only for the region but for the entire Union, marking just the beginning of extensive joint work ahead.