Bulgaria plays a significant strategic role connecting multiple regions, situated at the intersection of the Balkan Peninsula, Eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea.
Anna Natova (Deputy Transport Minister) highlighted this during a meeting with Matthew Boyce (former USA Assistant Secretary of State and Senior Fellow at Washington'S Hudson Institute) along with Yordan Bozhilov (Chairman of the Sofia Security Forum).
Natova emphasized the importance of Bulgaria's transport relations with Black Sea countries, not only for trade corridors between Europe and Asia but also for supporting reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. She underscored Bulgaria's priority in constructing a third bridge over the Danube at Ruse-Giurgiu, currently in the feasibility study phase funded by the EU. Additionally, Natova stressed the critical need to reopen the Ruse-Giurgiu ferry line to alleviate North-South traffic, which sees 3,500 trucks daily. With upcoming repairs on the Danube bridge at Ruse, disruptions to traffic are anticipated, prompting Bulgaria's readiness to resume ferry operations pending Romanian cooperation.
Simultaneously, the Romanian government approved legislation facilitating the restoration of ferry services at the Danube Bridge, as reported by BTA.