site.btaBulgaria, Greece, Romania Launch Practical Work on Black Sea - Aegean Sea Transport Corridor

Sofia hosted a four-way meeting on the Black Sea - Aegean Sea corridor with participants from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and the European Commission on Friday.

Bulgaria's Transport and Communications Minister Grozdan Karadjov hosted the forum, which launched practical work on a cooperation platform set up on December 3 by Bulgaria, Romania and Greece with the European Commission's support.

Karadjov told reporters that North-South should become a genuinely functioning transport corridor with practical solutions and clear deadlines. He said the three countries would coordinate planning, design, permits and delivery to avoid delays and bureaucratic hurdles. Bulgaria's priorities include accelerating a new Danube bridge between Ruse and Giurgiu, planning additional crossings along the roughly 470-kilometre border, restoring Danube ferry links.

Karadjov also cited rail connectivity along the Western axis from Athens via Thessaloniki, Sofia and Bucharest, including a possible joint bid for EU funding for developing a high-speed route, restoring regular Sofia-Thessaloniki services, and electrifying the Ruse-Giurgiu rail bridge.

Bulgaria's outgoing Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov said the Black Sea-Aegean Sea corridor is not only a transport link but an instrument for balanced regional development and for creating new opportunities for economic growth in border and less developed areas. He highlighted Bulgaria's priorities as improving transport connectivity, including modernizing road infrastructure linking the ports of Varna and Burgas with the country's interior and building the Black Sea Motorway as it will provide the missing high-speed road link along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast and improve connectivity with Romania. In parallel, Bulgaria is working on the modernization of Danube bridges and new cross-border road links, and better connections between Danube and Black Sea ports in order to improve transport links with Romania.

He also stressed the importance of improved connectivity with Greece through upgraded and new border crossings, and opportunities for industrial zones, logistics centres and intermodal terminals supported by coordinated use of European funding. He recalled that the Rudozem-Xanthi border checkpoint was opened just days ago. The next regional priority is the construction of a crossing between the village of Gorna Arda in Smolyan Region and the Greek town of Paranesti.

Ionut Cristian Savoiu, Romania's State Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, said his country has the opportunity to begin practical work on developing the Baltic Sea - Black Sea - Aegean Sea corridor. He said Romania's participation demonstrates the full commitment of the three countries to the corridor's development and contributes to a stronger Europe. Romania is focused on several key projects, including connecting Constanta with Burgas, rehabilitating and modernizing the existing Giurgiu-Ruse bridge, building a new Danube bridge, and developing new road and rail routes.

The State Secretary also noted that Romania is working on improvements to the Vidin-Calafat-Craiova sections, which will enhance connections with Ukraine and Moldova.

Greece's Alternate Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis said high-quality passenger rail transport between Thessaloniki and Sofia is expected to be in place by 2027, with all necessary preparations already underway. He said the project marks the first time that Bulgaria, Greece and Romania have committed so seriously to a shared European initiative. The aim is to connect citizens of the three countries through modern passenger transport while simultaneously boosting economic growth, trade and defence capabilities via a strategically important north–south transport corridor.

Kyranakis thanked the European Commission for its coordination and financial support, with special mention of EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas and corridor coordinator Mario Mauro, highlighting their role in advancing the project at the European level.