Act 16 for the interconnector with Greece, green light for infrastructure projects, more than BGN 400 million for municipal projects and launch of a new energy efficiency programme reported by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works in the mandate of the caretaker government

The joint work with other ministries in the mandate of the caretaker cabinet allowed the successful implementation of a number of projects. This was said by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works architect Ivan Shishkov during the report on the implementation of the mandate of the caretaker government from 2 August 2022 to January 2023.

The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, together with the Ministry of Energy and regional governors, ensured the commissioning, following the issuance of Act 16, of the Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector, the Minister reported. He recalled that they found a demotivated builder and an unfinished construction and specified that the site was inspected very often, with many ministers helping and coordinating. “I presented a Permit to Use from this building to the Council of Ministers because the success was of the whole team. The gas flowed and the effect that we are talking about, and that we can boast of, happened that way. Good luck to all colleagues. In the first days we became a team, the crises were so big that we had no other option,” the Regional Minister noted with firmness.

The winter cleaning of national roads was ensured and a number of infrastructure projects were given the green light. Architect Shishkov reminded that the Detailed Development Plans (DDP) were restarted in this period, without which the construction of the important road objects for better connectivity and economic development of our country could not start.

The designation of the Ruse - Veliko Tarnovo motorway as a national object allows to shorten the timeframes of the different procedures and to speed up the implementation. The Detailed Development Plans have been approved and contracts have been signed with the contractors for the first two sections - from Ruse to Byala and the Byala bypass. The implementation will be on engineering. So while the design is being done, the expropriation of the properties will also be done.

The detailed development plan for the last section of the Europe Motorway - between Slivnitsa and the Northern expressway of Sofia - has been approved.

The construction of the Vidin - Botevgrad expressway, key for the development of Northwest Bulgaria, has been accelerated. A decision of the Council of Ministers launched the expropriation procedures on the route from Ruzhintsi to Montana. The project can be completed in three years.

The repairs of the Vitinya and Echemishka tunnels were completed. Thus, the traffic on the Hemus Motorway was put into operation in both directions and the traffic for Christmas and New Year was considerably eased, Minister Shishkov added. For the same purpose, 2.7 km of the Struma Motorway in the Zheleznitsa - Simitli section in the Sofia - Kulata direction were put into operation. A project has been prepared to strengthen the landslide before the Zheleznitsa tunnel on the Struma Motorway. It will be implemented in two stages. A commitment has been made by the builder to complete the first one in three months. Thus, the traffic through the facility will be launched in the direction of Sofia. This will further ease traffic in the area, the minister also said. A 16.3 km stretch of the Hemus Motorway between the Belokopitovo and Buhovtsi interchanges has been put into operation, he added.

Architect Shishkov also reported on the adoption of the indexation methodology for contracts that involve the execution of civil works. Together with the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, guidelines for its application were developed. The procedure for energy renovation of residential and non-residential buildings with funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan was launched, the implementation of which will provide employment for the construction industry. The guidelines for applying for these were announced.

Assistance was provided to the Ministry of Health for the implementation of the National Children’s Hospital project in Sofia. With the active participation of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works a site was found for the construction of the facility. Negotiations were held with the owners and a construction brief was signed. In a short time the Ministry proceeded with the amendment of the detailed development plan for the site. The regional governor of Sofia city also assisted in the successful work.

With the active assistance of the Ministry of Finance and as a result of an unprecedented decision of the Council of Ministers, through the budget of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works over BGN 400 million were allocated to the municipalities for road and water projects, determined in a fully transparent manner, said Ivan Shishkov.

Following the EC approval of the Development of Regions Programme, over BGN 3.6 billion will be invested in the development of Bulgarian regions in the period 2021-2027. Integrated territorial development projects will be implemented in the Level 2 planning regions.