The Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, Oleksii Kuleba, held a meeting with the Minister of Transport and Communications of Bulgaria, Korman Ismailov, during his visit to Kyiv. Kuleba reported this on March 30, noting that the discussions focused on key areas of cooperation in the transport sector between the two countries.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Plans for Railway Connections
According to Kuleba, Ukraine, together with Bulgaria and Romania, is working on launching a passenger railway route that will connect Kyiv with Sofia through Romanian territory. It is noted that the goal of this project is to organize a test run as early as this summer in a trilateral format. Special attention is being paid to ensuring competitive conditions for passengers through the public service obligation (PSO) mechanism.
“We discussed a number of important issues. In particular, we are working on launching passenger railway connections between Ukraine and Bulgaria through Romania. The goal is to have a test launch this summer in a trilateral format. It is important to ensure a competitive offer through the PSO,” he stated.
Development of Transport Infrastructure and International Cooperation
During the negotiations, the parties also raised issues related to the development of strategic transport corridors, the Danube cluster, and the modernization of road infrastructure. The importance of further cooperation in the field of road transport was emphasized, as well as plans to prepare for a meeting of the joint transport commission.
Additionally, the ministers discussed security aspects of navigation in the Black Sea. According to Kuleba, the parties expect to conclude an intergovernmental agreement on maritime search and rescue this year, which will enhance safety levels on maritime routes.
At the same time, Korman Ismailov refrained from making public comments regarding the outcomes of the meeting.
The Bulgarian government delegation, led by Acting Prime Minister Andrei Gyurov, arrived in Kyiv on March 30. The visit’s agenda includes meetings with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk.