EU Transport Commissioner Tzitzikostas Urges Innovation at Sofia Green Transition Forum

Kaloyan Kirilov

Green Transition Forum at Sofia Event Centre, Sofia, June 17, 2024 (BTA Photo/Minko Chernev)

Sofia,

16.06.2025 14:41

(BTA)

European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the path to a climate-neutral Europe lies in innovation, investment and determination, during a video address at the Green Transition Forum 5.0: Competitiveness and Innovation in Central and Eastern European Countries at Sofia Event Centre on Monday.

In his remarks, Tzitzikostas called for more integrated efforts toward smarter, more sustainable and connected European states.

Tzitzikostas said he was confident that Europe can achieve more than just catching up and can instead take the lead. He appealed to the participants to unite their efforts for more intelligent, sustainable, and interconnected European nations. Tzitzikostas opened a panel on “Transport and Connectivity: The Foundation of Central and Eastern Europe’s Competitiveness”.

According to Tzitzikostas, one of the main reasons for holding the forum is Europe’s need to remain competitive by prioritising high-quality connectivity in transport infrastructure and ensuring mobility within its regions. He noted that Central and Eastern Europe sits at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe, acting as the backbone of European connectivity. People and economies, he said, are being connected, which is crucial for the future of Europe.

Tzitzikostas said that the future of Europe lay in a transition toward more sustainable and intelligent transport. He assured that the European Union is committed to supporting this transition, noting ongoing investment in decarbonisation and modern transport, and citing the resilience and sustainability fund as an example.

More than 3,500 participants from over 30 countries are attending the five-day Green Transition Forum 5.0 at Sofia Event Centre, which runs until June 20. The forum gathers EU commissioners, ministers, MEPs, Nobel Prize laureates and top executives from global companies to discuss a range of topics including energy security, sustainable finance, digitalization, and innovation in the CEE region. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta, and Professor Daron Acemoglu—2024 Nobel laureate in Economics—are among the keynote speakers.

/RY/