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Almost twenty years after the announcement of the project, Bulgaria and Romania have started real actions for the construction of a third bridge over the Danube. The two countries submitted a joint project to the European Commission for a feasibility study of the second bridge Ruse-Giurgiu. With this, in practice, the two countries started the process of building a second combined road and railway bridge over the Danube at Ruse.

The Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov is an aviation engineer who has completed a master's degree programme in Aviation Equipment signed a letter of joint engagement with the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Romania, confirming the position that the project is a priority and both governments will work for its implementation.

Coordinators of the activities will be the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Romania. The Bulgarian Ministry, together with its associated partners NRIC and RIA, will carry out the study on the connecting infrastructure in the country. The financial contribution of the Bulgarian side to the project amounts to EUR 1.4 million. (BGN 2.73 million), up to 50% of which are expected to be grants under the Connecting Europe Facility.

The studies will analyze the different routes and points from which the bridge will start in Ruse and Giurgiu respectively, and will support the selection of a technical solution.

In early 2024, it is expected to become clear whether the project has been approved for funding. The time schedule provides for the signing of a contract with the EC by mid-2024 and implementation by the end of 2026, when the two countries will decide on the location and method of financing the infrastructure facility.

The possibility of using the mechanisms of the public-private partnership for the construction of the facility will also be analyzed. This would lead to a significant shortening of the deadlines for the overall implementation of the bridge and would attract additional funding from other sources, BNR explains.

Georgi Gvozdeykov

Danube Bridge

Bulgaria - Romania

Ruse