site.btaDyulino Pass Construction to Be Completed Next Year, Regional Development Minister Says

Construction on the Dyulino Pass, in the Balkan Mountains connecting Varna and Aitos, has resumed and is expected to be completed in May next year, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov told reporters here on Thursday.

“This is a long-awaited project that must be implemented in the coming years because it will be the link between Asia and Europe,” Ivanov added. After the start of the war in Ukraine, sea routes were cut off and traffic is now passing through Bulgaria. According to Ivanov, following talks between GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Cherno More (Black Sea) motorway will pass through the Dyulino Pass.

“You can see the state of the infrastructure after the long interruption, and this is a commitment both of the mandate holder [GERB] and of the party I represent [BSP]. All of this is in the agreement we signed,” Ivanov said. “Two motorways will be put into operation this year, and 1,500 km of roads are currently being rehabilitated in the country. What was delayed or stopped is now moving forward. Bulgarian citizens expect this to happen,” Ivanov added.

Ivanov, together with Nikolay Nankov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Regional Policy, Public Works, and Local Self-Government, and Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, inspected the construction of the road.

Regarding the Hemus motorway, the minister pointed out that work is already underway on almost all lots. “Permits for two more lots remain to be issued, and then we can begin full-time work so that it will be entirely completed by the end of 2029,” he added.

The completion of the Hemus motorway is a serious commitment, GERB leader Borissov said. He explained that international agreements have also been reached for the Cherno More motorway from Veliko Tarnovo to Durankulak. According to him, full-time work is underway on the construction planning of the road to Ruse because the second bridge across the Danube River there will become a reality.

Improving the infrastructure will be beneficial not only for tourism, Borissov added. According to him, talks are underway with Greece to establish a connection with the Maritsa or Trakia motorways. NATO countries have decided to allocate 5% of their budgets to defence, but 1.5% will be used for infrastructure and the construction of corridors, which includes us with Turkiye, Greece, and Romania, Borissov added.