Asen Vassilev: The Recovery Plan will support only projects that do not harm the environment

Only projects that do not cause serious damage to the environment can be financed under the recovery plan. This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds Asen Vassilev, who organized a series of public councils by departments to present the projects in them. The first of the plans was for the transport sector, and now talks are underway for the energy sector.

So far, there is an informal response from Brussels on the revised version of the plan, Vassilev said, and presented the distribution of funds by sector: "Roughly speaking for economic measures - BGN 3.6 billion, energy transition - BGN 5.6 billion, for digitalization and connectivity - BGN 2.4 billion and for social measures about BGN 2 billion ".

In the transport sector, the purchase of high-speed trains, modern locomotive control systems, an intermodal terminal in Ruse and the partial construction of the Sofia metro will be financed. Asen Vassilev clarified that in a conversation with the mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova a decision was reached to finance the rest through the state budget:

"They said they need 30 million a year for the next four years, but in the June budget update, the idea is to be part of a fund where all municipalities give projects, to be a project of Sofia municipality and it to be funded ".

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has prepared drafts for the latest version of the National Plan for Reconstruction and Sustainability (NPRS), said Viktor Chaushev, adviser to the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev during a discussion on the plan at the Ministry of Finance. We are limited in time for the implementation of the projects under this plan - the deadline for reporting is June 30, 2026, said Chaushev. That is why we rely only on projects that we are sure we can implement, said the adviser to the Minister.

The first project is for the purchase of railcars for regular service of the areas around the big cities - type "Es Ban". The project is worth BGN 373 million and has a contribution to the state budget.

The next project is for railway transport in the main directions for the supply of electric trains, similar to "intercity trains", which can develop speeds of up to 200 km / h. 18 electric locomotives for shunting activities in landfills will also be purchased.

We envisage the introduction of a European system of railway management in the section Ruse - Kaspichan. Such a system would not allow the tragedy that happened in Hitrino (in 2026), Chaushev said. The equipment of the trains will be provided for all railway carriers, which will increase the passability of the road sections, he added.

The plan envisages the construction of an intermodal terminal in Ruse, which will then be given a concession to support the cargo turnover in Northern Bulgaria.

The other big project, which is already in an advanced phase, is for the Sofia metro to extend the third line from Hadji Dimitar to Levski, with the section being three kilometers long with three metro stations.

Many large railway projects are very late and their introduction would ease traffic. Currently, for example, the section Sofia - Pernik is the busiest in the country, said the Ministry of Transport.