Motorways and speed roads of a length exceeding 200 km are being constructed and upgraded during the current programming period of OP Transport, Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Ivailo Moskovski said at the opening of the VIIth Annual Conference "Strategic Infrastructure, Bulgaria 2012".

„While several years ago we were talking of one motorway only, today we are simultaneously building three such facilities - Trakiya Motorway, Strouma Motorway and Maritsa Motorway, Minister Moskovski said. He observed that due to the implemented projects the tunnels of the Sofia Underground have already reached a total length of over 30 km. "Meanwhile, railway lines of a length of over 400 km in the country are upgraded. The completion of these projects will allow trains to move at a speed of 160 km/h", the Minister added.

At present, contracts of the value of over 3.2 billion BGN have been signed within OP Transport, which accounts for nearly 84% of its budget. The paid funds equal about 990 million BGN.

According to Ivailo Moskovski, the quality of the projects and the work done will be Bulgaria's main argument upon the contracting of funds for the next programming period of OP Transport. "We have been conducting an active dialogue and have all grounds to believe that then we would be able to avail of EU funding for the purchase of new railway rolling stock," Minister Ivailo Moskovski said. "If we also manage to implement the project on the modernization of the Sofia Central Railway Station, the Bulgarian railway transport will attract the highest investments in 20 years' time," he added.

Minister Moskovski described as undoubted achievement the inclusion of the Hemous Motorways among the projects eligible for financing under the EU structural funds and the launching of the construction of the underground stretch up to the Sofia Airport. "I hope our country would have the financial resource needed so as to implement all objectives set until the end of the next programming period," he said.