Minister Nikolay Nankov: Bulgaria is a construction site and this won’t change in the next seven or eight years
Minister Nikolay Nankov: Bulgaria is a construction site and this won’t change in the next seven or eight year
By Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
“Bulgaria is a construction site and this won’t change in the next seven or eight years. We will work on all unfinished sections of international transport corridors crossing our country and Austrian businesses are welcome.”
This is what Nikolay Nankov, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, said at the Transport Infrastructure Forum, which took place in the capital.
“Austrian companies have been and will be our major partner in transport construction and I’m convinced that we will continue implementing dozens of infrastructure projects in the country in the future.”
Among the projects that are to be implemented, the Minister specifically mentioned the completion of Hemus Motorway, which will reduce the disproportion in the development of Southern and Northern Bulgaria, the completion of Struma Motorway, the construction of Vidin-Botevgrad motorway, in connection with International Transport Corridor 4, as well as the completion of the Sofia-Serbia border section – a part of Corridor 10.
He stressed that construction was one of the main drivers for the economic growth of our country in 2017 and this success is largely due to Austrian companies. “They are our main contractors,” Nankov said and pointed out that an Austrian-Bulgarian consortium is currently building one of the two dams for drinking water and domestic water supply in Bulgaria – the Luda Yana Dam.
Another significant project implemented by the Austrian Kapsch Traffic Solutions is the construction of the toll system in the country.
According to the Minister, the system will result in both direct and indirect benefits, such as the anti-smuggling work and the ability to cope with ever-diminishing migratory pressure.
In his speech at the forum, the regional minister also highlighted the large trade turnover between Austria and Bulgaria, amounting to EUR 1.2 billion, and expressed confidence that in the years to come it will exceed 2 billion.
“Our relations with the Austrian businesses are excellent and constructive, they are based on mutual profit and the results are prominent,” the Minister said.
