Consortium BULRIS 2, which unites the companies Tranzas Marin International AB of Sweden, Tranzas Mediterranean SAS of France and Bulgarian Telelink will start the extension of the river information services in the Bulgarian part of the Danube, otherwise known as BULRIS. The value of contracts signed last week is nearly 9.5 million levs, with funds provided under the Transport Operational Programme and the deadline for completion is 18 months.
It is crucial for Bulgaria and for all European countries, said Deputy Transport Minister Petar Kirov. In his words, the improvement of navigation conditions on the Danube river is linked to a comprehensive package of measures that the transport department is taking to develop both the river and the railway transport, in line with the priorities of the European Union. In the next programming period, together with Romania we will apply for funds from the Connected Europe facility for the implementation of the project to improve navigation conditions in the critical sections of the river, said Kirov. The construction of an intermodal terminal in Ruse and rehabilitation of the railway line Ruse-Varna are among the activities in this respect.
The BULRIS aims to increase both the safety of navigation on the Bulgarian stretch of the Danube, and to reduce the incidence of contamination of the river. It will contribute to its use as the main waterway of the EU and the development of logistics and transport routes crossing Bulgaria. In the first phase of the project the country has already built up the necessary technological infrastructure in 16 transport nodes located in the districts of Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse and Silistra. The system is expected to be put into exploitation in early 2014.
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