Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications, Ivaylo Mosckovski gave today Act 15 to the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov for the railway divisions Krumovo - Parvomay and Parvomay - Dimitrovgrad. Both ministers participated in tests of railway line Plovdiv - Svilengrad, which aimed to test the track and overhead lines at speeds of 160 km/h. The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Liliana Pavlova and the minister of EU funds, Tomislav Donchev, took part in the high-speed railway traveling from Krumovo station to Parvomay station.

During the tests with speed of 165 km/h, a section of 37 km was taken for about 20 minutes. Before the modernization of the railway line that distance was traveled for about an hour. "After 2013, Bulgaria may apply for 300 million EU funding for more than 100 new trains" the minister said. He added that in 2014 the whole line from Plovdiv to the Turkish/Greek border will be renewed and the distance will be traveled for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The project "Electrification and reconstruction of the railway line Plovdiv - Svilengrad - Turkish/Greek Borders" is the largest infrastructure project of the National Company "Railway Infrastructure". It's transitional project with bridge financing from ISPA to the Operational Programme on Transport. The project envisages reconstruction of one of the oldest railway lines in Bulgaria, the speed will be increased to 160 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains.

To date, 99% of the work from the first phase (Krumovo-Parvomay) is completed  by the Greek company "Terna" and 95% of the second phase (Parvomay - Dimitrovgrad) by the Italian company "Astaldi". The unfinished sections of the route  Dimitrovgrad - Svilengrad will be financed under Operational Programme  on Transport as has already begun tendering for selection of contractor. Expectations are by the end of the summer of 2012 the section Svilengrad-Turkish border to be completed.