Bulgarian funds accelerate highway construction

The Bulgarian government has announced the allocation of an extra BGN 120 million (€ 61,4 million) for construction of the Trakiya, Maritza, and Hemus Highways and for the southern arch of the Sofia beltway.

Approving the extra funds at a cabinet meeting on Thursday (18 July), a spokesman said funds are expected to come from savings in state expenditures and a surplus in the state budget.

The aim is to accelerate construction of key segments of the highways. These include the 25 km-long Stara Zagora-Karnobat segment of the Trakiya Highway, the 4 km-long Svilengrad-Kapitan Andreevo segment of the Maritza Highway, and the Koritina intersection on the Hemus Highway.

Some of the funding will also be used to carry out archaeological digs along the planned Trakiya, and Maritza Highways, and the Kurdzhali-Dzebel-Podkova road. It will also be used to compensate land owners whose lands have been appropriated for the new roads.