site.btaRegional Development Ministry Holds Meeting on Infrastructure Projects in Plovdiv Region
Following a meeting at the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry on Tuesday, Regional Minister Ivan Shishkov told journalists that the government plans to expedite the design of the projects to complete the Plovdiv ring road and to supply the Plovdiv and Haskovo Regions with drinking water from the Dospat Reservoir. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Floor Leader of Progressive Bulgaria Vladimir Nikolov and Plovdiv Regional Governor Georgi Yanev.
When asked about an indicative timeline for the ring road construction start, Shishkov replied: "Once we move forward with the design phase and acquire the land, we will be able to provide a construction timeline, which begins once a building permit is issued". He expressed hope that the design phase would be completed within a year to a year and a half.
Shishkov noted that design work for certain sections had already begun during the 2020-2022 period, but progress was minimal. For most of the route, especially in the southern and eastern sections, the environmental impact assessments have not even begun.
The Minister pointed out that the main reason for the delay so far was complaints from owners of private properties through which the route is to pass. He added that this is not a valid excuse, as expropriations and complaints are a predictable part of any national project, and the real reason has been a lack of political priority.
Plovdiv Regional Governor Yanev highlighted that Plovdiv's water supply and ring road are not merely infrastructure projects, but strategic issues affecting the economy and the future of over half a million Bulgarian citizens in the South Central region. He expressed gratitude for the support at the work meeting to accelerate work on every stage of the ring road and welcomed the restart of the water supply project from the Dospat-Vacha hydropower cascade. The governor added that nothing had been done on the matter since the last caretaker governments, but now there is a clear plan of action.
Nikolov said that during the election campaign he had heard Plovdiv residents' complaints about the city's serious problems and emphasized the extremely difficult traffic conditions, adding that the ring road in its current state requires over 45 minutes just to circle the city. The MP also pointed out another problem related to air and water quality in Plovdiv, which rank among the lowest levels in the EU.
/RY, YV/
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