site.btaConcession Procedure for Plovdiv Airport to Be Opened in 2026

The concession procedure for Plovdiv Airport will be opened in February 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov said here on Friday. He participated in a discussion on the development of Southern Bulgaria, organized by the 24 Chasa daily newspaper.

Karadjov emphasized that the State's attempts to develop the airport are not yielding results, as there are difficulties in paying the salaries of the airport's staff. He noted that the plans of the Transport Connectivity Programme include a railway line between Plovdiv Railway Station and Plovdiv Airport, the design of which will begin in 2026. "The idea is for Plovdiv to have a reliable and fast shuttle, and if necessary, the line will also be used for cargo transportation", the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out.

Karadjov commented that one of Bulgaria's major problems is that there are highly developed digital islands, while network saturation in small and remote settlements is not the same. A major investment will therefore be starting in this regard, which will include future construction of optical connectivity in the regions of Plovdiv, Smolyan, Pazardzhik and Haskovo.

During the discussion, plans for the transport and digital connectivity in the region were presented as well, with Karadjov stressing that the largest modernization of railway lines in Bulgaria since 2007 has been happening in Southern Bulgaria. "Southern Bulgaria and the Plovdiv region are part of the new Black Sea - Aegean Sea - Baltic Sea strategic corridor, which is related to the war in Ukraine," he stated, adding that a framework agreement for cooperation between Bulgaria, Greece and Romania is to be signed in Brussels on December 4.

"This agreement includes three main axes, which include railway and road sections. Bulgaria's biggest victory is two new bridges over the Danube River at Silistra and Nikopol," Karadjov noted, pointing out the agreement will become one of the most important for the North-South corridors in Europe and for strengthening the Eastern flank of NATO.