site.btaRegional Development Minister: All but One Lot of Hemus Motorway Have Building Permits

Building permits have already been issued for all of Hemus Motorway's lots except one, outgoing Minister of Regional Development Ivan Ivanov told reporters in Suhindol on Saturday. He noted that he is leaving behind resolved issues that need to be completed, but also that funding needs to be secured. 

A building permit has also been issued for the tunnel under Mt Shipka. The Kresna bypass is under construction, everything is at an advanced stage, but there must be political will to ensure that infrastructure projects are not halted, he said.

A significant part of the funding is provided by EU funds, as is the case for the Struma Motorway and the Kresna Gorge. For the Hemus Motorway, the funds must be allocated from the state budget, Ivanov specified. 

A permit for the construction of the road section between Byala and Ruse (Northern Bulgaria) is to be issued next week so that construction work can begin, he said. The idea is to have a motorway between Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo, not a four-lane road. The procedure for selecting a contractor for this section has not yet been completed, which will remain a task for the next government, Ivanov noted. According to him, the price of BGN 50 million per kilometer for this section may, in certain cases, be low.