Europe Motorway: Officially Opened!

Today, the"Europe" Motorway was officially opened, a key section of the Trans-European transport network and the first motorway in Bulgaria connecting two state borders.

The event was marked by expected relief in anticipation of improvements in road infrastructure.

The 63-kilometer motorway starts from the Kalotina border crossing on our border with Serbia and connects to the Northern Tangent of Sofia, after which it branches off to the"Hemus" and"Trakia" Motorways, ensuring unimpeded movement from the Serbian to the Turkish border.

Regional Minister Ivan Ivanov, in an interview for BNT, emphasized the expected traffic relief, thanks to the full connectivity between the two border points.

Minister Ivanov, in the same interview, also commented on the delays in the construction of the"Europe" Motorway,"Hemus" Motorway and"Struma" Motorway:

"Both this one, and the"Hemus" and"Struma" Motorways fell victim to political stagnation and indecision, as the succession of elections prevented the taking of adequate decisions. When we have a regular government, these projects proceed at the necessary speed."

His words shed light on the complexity of large infrastructure projects in Bulgaria, often hampered by frequent changes in government and the lack of a long-term strategy.

Currently, the final construction works on the first lot of the"Hemus" Motorway are being completed, with its completion expected by the end of the month.

In parallel, permits for the construction of additional lots are being prepared, with the aim of completing the motorway by the end of 2029 or the beginning of 2030.

In this regard, optimism is observed, but also a certain caution, given the past period of delays.

The construction of the Kresna bypass, on the other hand, is planned to begin in October, with the aim of completing one lane of the"Struma" Motorway by 2031.

This will solve the problems of travelers to Greece on the particularly problematic section between Simitli and Kresna.

This project is of paramount importance for the smooth movement of Bulgarian and international traffic.

After the Kalotina border crossing, the"Europe" Motorway continues as A4 towards Nis, Serbia.

The aim of the project is to alleviate car and freight traffic on this important transport corridor.

The project is financed by the state budget and European funds, which underlines its importance for the national and European transport network.

The commissioning of the motorway marks the completion of an important stage in improving the country_q_s transport infrastructure, but it is only part of the larger project for modernizing Bulgarian roads.