site.btaEuropean Commission Shortlists Zheleznitsa Tunnel in Regional Innovation Awards

The project for the construction of the Zheleznitsa Tunnel has been selected as one of the 25 finalists in the European Commission’s REGIOSTARS 2025 competition for the best European projects, Bulgaria’s Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) said on Tuesday. It is one of five projects to reach the final stage in the “Connected Europe” category. A total of 266 entries were submitted from all EU member states, with Bulgaria participating with 17 proposals. The projects selected for the final stage were evaluated by a jury appointed by the European Commission.

The Zheleznitsa Tunnel is part of the Struma Motorway, which runs most of the distance from the Bulgarian capital Sofia to the country’s border with Greece. It is approximately 2 km long and features two separate tubes for traffic. The facility is equipped with all modern safety systems, including energy-efficient lighting, ventilation, video surveillance, fire alarm systems, an intelligent traffic management system, emergency SOS cabins, and an electronic access control system. There are four pedestrian cross-passages between the tubes, as well as two vehicle-accessible passages for ambulances, fire engines, and other emergency vehicles. In the event of an accident or closure of one of the tubes, these connections will be used to evacuate passengers safely.

As part of the project, a helicopter landing pad has also been built, which can be used for medical helicopters and during major accidents, mountain rescue operations, and other emergencies. The project was financed under Operational Programme Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014–2020.

The RIA will present the project during the European Week of Regions and Cities, to be held in mid-October in Brussels. Based on the jury’s evaluation, the winners in each category will be announced at the official REGIOSTARS 2025 Awards Ceremony on October 15.

The Public Choice Award will be decided by an online vote via the REGIOSTARS Awards website, beginning on September 2. Anyone wishing to support the Zheleznitsa Tunnel project can do so via the REGIOSTARS Awards Voting Page at:

https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/projects/regio-stars-awards_en#inline-nav-3