Acceleration of the building up of the big infrastructural projects between Bulgaria and Serbia
Acceleration of the building up of the big infrastructural projects between Bulgaria and Serbia was agreed at the Second Session of the Joint Economic Commission between the two countries, which was completed in Belgrade on 2 June. The Cо-Chairmen of the Commission – the Minister of Economy Bozhidar Lukarski and the Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic signed a Protocol for Cooperation in seven economic spheres of priority.
The main arrangements achieved during the session are the acceleration of the work on European Transport Corridor 10, which includes the construction of a speed road connection and the electrification and the modernization of the railway line Niš – Sofia. The counties also undertook an obligation for faster rates of work for the building up of the interconnecting gas connection. A Protocol for Cooperation in the sphere of energy will be prepared for signing aimed at its being signed as soon as possible. “Financing of our part under Operational Program “Innovations and Competitiveness” 2014 – 2020 was provided for the interconnector and the design and the expropriation were performed so that we are ready to commence the construction”, Minister Lukarski said. Both Ministers emphasized how important the gas connection was for the diversification of the supplies.
The promotion of the investments and the creation of joint ventures between the two states will be of priority in the economic relationships between the two countries, which shall do business on the markers, which Serbia has agreements for duty free trade with as Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkey.
A joint product “The Road of Roman Emperors” was agreed in the sphere of tourism. A Memorandum for Cooperation shall be concluded as soon as possible. The Serbian country noted down that the quantity of Bulgarian tourists in Serbia was increased by 80% during the first quarter of this year with regard to the same time period of last year when Bulgaria occupied the first place for tourist visits to the country.
Cooperation was agreed in the sphere of agriculture as well as participation in common projects for cross-border cooperation at the value of EUR 28 million.