A series of intensive consultations between local and central authorities led to important decisions in the transport scheme of the Petrich region. The Ministry of Transport officially announced that eight railway lines along the Kulata - Petrich route will be temporarily suspended from August 1 to September 15.
A key meeting held in the village of Marikostinovo brought together representatives from different levels of government - Deputy Minister Lyuben Nanov, Member of Parliament Kostadin Stoykov, mayors of municipalities and settlements. The main goal was to discuss upcoming transport changes and their minimal negative impact on the local population.
Initial sentiments among local residents were extremely tense, with even the blockade of the Struma Highway being considered as a protest against the planned train stoppage. The reason for this radical step was the decisive decision of Bulgarian State Railways to suspend part of the railway services.
Deputy Minister Nanov thoroughly explained the motives behind this decision. The main reason is a critical shortage of railway cars, which necessitates their redirection to more heavily used routes with higher passenger traffic. "Temporary train reduction is imperative to ensure better transport service in other regions," Nanov was categorical.
As an alternative solution, complete replacement of rail transport with bus services was agreed upon. Local authorities received assurances that the new bus lines will be maximally aligned with the needs of residents from settlements like Rupite, Marikostinovo, and Banite.
Member of Parliament Kostadin Stoykov described the meeting as extremely productive. "We have reached an agreement that will satisfy the local community. If necessary, we will increase the number of buses to guarantee quality transport," he stated.
The mayor of General Todorov village, Stanislav Stankov, shared that he received official assurance from BDZ that all temporarily suspended trains will resume movement after September 15. "For now, we are postponing protest actions, but we will remain vigilant," Stankov emphasized.
Local authorities and representatives of the transport ministry agreed to hold an additional meeting where they will discuss routes, stops, and capacity of the new bus lines in detail. The mayor of Marikostinovo, Gergana Todorova, expressed confidence that the interests of local residents will be maximally protected.
An important clarification from the organizers is that the price of bus tickets will be identical to the previous railway tariffs, which further mitigates the negative effects of the temporary change.