site.btaPresidents of Bulgaria, Romania Eye New Bridges, Stronger Ties

The existing bridges at Vidin-Calafat and Ruse-Giurgiu are insufficient in light of the continuously increasing transport traffic, growing freight volumes and the wish of businesses from the region to pursue joint projects, Rumen Radev said during a meeting with Ilie Bolojan, Romania’s acting president, the President’s press secretariat said on Tuesday.

Radev and Bolojan spoke at the 10th Three Seas Initiative Summit in Warsaw.

Radev said that Bulgaria and Romania have built relations based on good neighbourliness and partnership. He pointed out that tourism is growing, and bilateral trade now exceeds EUR 7 billion a year.

Radev and Bolojan discussed ways to improve connectivity between Bulgaria and Romania to boost economic and investment flows and support tourism in the region.

They also talked about the need for joint efforts among Southeastern European countries to create new supply chains, which are needed to strengthen the region and address disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine. 

They highlighted the importance of focused financial support from the EU for these efforts.

The meeting also covered the possibility of closer energy cooperation, with both sides stressing the role of the Vertical Gas Corridor in supporting energy diversification in Southeastern Europe.

Earlier on Tuesday, Radev spoke at a business forum during the Three Seas Summit. He said, "It is very important for us to work more closely with our strategic partners and international financial institutions so that businesses can operate more efficiently."