site.btaKalotina Checkpoint on Border with Serbia Opens after Reconstruction

Kalotina Checkpoint on Border with Serbia Opens after Reconstruction
Kalotina Checkpoint on Border with Serbia Opens after Reconstruction
Cutting the ribbon for the newly reconstructed Kalotina border control checkpoint (left to right): caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, Regional Development Minister Violeta Koritarova-Kassabova, Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov, National Revenue Agency Executive Director Rumen Spetsov, and Customs Agency Director Georgi Dimov (BTA Photo/Blagoy Kirilov)

The Kalotina checkpoint on the Bulgaria-Serbia border opened after reconstruction on Tuesday. In a comment for the press at the event, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said that traffic via the Bulgarian border crossings has increased significantly.

"Geographically speaking, Bulgaria is a gate between Asia and Europe, and the traffic passing through the border crossings has increased incredibly. In the last five years, it has grown by 40% for Kalotina alone, which is not among the biggest checkpoints, or by over 100% for the Kapitan Andreevo, Malko Tarnovo, and Lessovo checkpoints," Glavchev said.

He added that the building of the Kalotina checkpoint was constructed in the 1970s, and this was the first repair of this magnitude done in 30 years.

The opening ceremony was attended also by caretaker Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Violeta Koritarova-Kassabova, Customs Agency Director Georgi Dimov, and National Revenue Agency Executive Director Rumen Spetsov.

The reconstruction works were carried out in two stages in the 2018-2024 period. They included renovation and expansion of the lanes for freight and passenger vehicles as well as the entire underground and surface infrastructure of the checkpoint.

Glavchev said: "Two-three months ago, we started with Malko Tarnovo, we had a meeting with our Turkish colleagues and even then we announced that Malko Tarnovo, Kapitan Andreevo and all the checkpoints are to be reconstructed, and the process started in 2018 [...] We are looking at all the checkpoints in their entirety to ensure the normal movement of people and goods." In his words, all border crossings in the country are designed to accommodate traffic of 2.5 million vehicles; in 2023, 4.5 million vehicles crossed with a trend of 10 million vehicles in 2029.

Customs Agency Director Dimov said that they have prepared a comprehensive strategy, a concept, for the development of border control checkpoints. "It is to be discussed and put into action," he noted. According to him, once the coordination procedures are completed and the Council of Ministers entrusts the Customs Agency, it is ready to reconstruct the Malko Tarnovo, Lessovo and Kapitan Andreevo checkpoints within 18 to 24 months. "We are currently in the process of a complete reconstruction of the Stanke Lisichkovo checkpoint with the Republic of North Macedonia, and one will be launched at Zlatarevo," Dimov explained. In his words, an organization has been created for all external checkpoints of Bulgaria within the next 24 months to be in the form in which Kalotina is now. "We are also planning to build Kapitan Andreevo-North," the Customs Agency Director added. 

The idea is to ensure a smooth service for vehicles passing through Bulgaria in the next 15 to 30 years. 

/DS/

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By 19:09 on 06.12.2024 Today`s news

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