site.btaBulgaria Ranks among Top 10 EU Countries for Manufacture, Export of Bicycles - Deputy Transport Minister

Bulgaria is among the top 10 EU Member States for the manufacture and export of bicycles and components, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Anna Mihneva-Natova told an informal meeting of EU Transport Ministers in Brussels, her ministry said in a press release on Thursday. 

The EU Transport Ministers signed a declaration on the promotion and development of cycling in which they commit to develop the full potential of bicycles as a means of transport and their important role in urban mobility.

Mihneva-Natova explained that Bulgaria's good development in this field presupposes high economic potential and benefits on the territory of the country for small and medium-sized businesses in the field of bicycle manufacture and services. She gave the example of a number of Bulgarian cities that have already elaborated programmes for the development of bicycle transport.

"Municipalities are developing accompanying measures, such as systems for renting bicycles, building bicycle parking lots and bicycle lanes. These measures are mainly supported by EU funds," said the Deputy Transport Minister.

During a session dedicated to strengthening the sustainability of European transport networks, Mihneva-Natova underscored the importance of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and that Bulgaria is a beneficiary of a number of projects implemented with CEF funding. She stressed that Bulgaria's main priority is the construction and modernisation of transport infrastructure, which is a key component of national and European security.