The project, Establishment of River Information System in Bulgarian Section of Danube River (BULRIS), first stage, was given the go-ahead today at Rousse Centre Port. The project will be financed by the European Regional Development Fund through OP Transport and should be completed in 2011.

Attending the ceremony were Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Aleksandar Tsvetkov, his deputy and Authorizing Officer of OP Transport Management Authority Ivailo Moskovski, MPs, Evgenii Moskov, Director General of the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company, Sergei Tsurnakliiski, Executive Director of the Maritime Administration Executive Agency, Rousse Regional Governor Plamen Stoilov and other official guests.

During the ceremony Minister Aleksandar Tsvetkov said that the acceleration of the EU-financed projects is one of the main priorities of his Ministry. "BULRIS is one of these projects and for this reason we have made best efforts not to lag behind the preliminary schedule of project activities," Minister Tsvetkov added.

The first stage of BULRIS is expected to be implemented in the 2007-2011 period. It includes preliminary studies, developing a design of the system, drafting tender documentation and holding of a tender for the building of the main infrastructure of the River Information System.

The BULRIS project is included in Priority Axis IV of OP Transport, Improvement of the Maritime and Inland Waterway Navigation. It will be implemented in three stages within the programming period by the end of 2013. Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company is beneficiary within the project. The provisional budget of BULRIS is about 30 million BGN, as the one of the first stage is 15 million BGN.