Bulgaria plans to design about 1,300 km of road routes in 2027, public works minister says

Bulgaria plans to design a total of about 1,300 km of road routes in 2027, of which 770 km are strategic sections for which design and approval of detailed development plans are expected to be completed within the year, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov said at a press conference on Friday 30 October, BTA reported.

Shishkov said one of Bulgaria's main shortcomings over the years had been the lack of comprehensive design work for motorways and expressways. For the larger routes, the aim is to prepare documents to a stage that would allow public-private partnerships to be sought. Other projects would be submitted for EU funding under the TEN-T network or financed by the state. For major motorways, the state would look for concessionaires or EU funds rather than pay directly from the budget, he said.

He did not give specific amounts from the 2027 budget for roads and said the figures would be presented by the finance minister. Design work needs far less money than construction, he noted.

Among the strategic corridors, Shishkov highlighted the 152 km Ruse-Makaza motorway and the Montana-Sofia expressway, which includes a tunnel under Petrohan and is about 100 km long. On the 275 km Black Sea motorway, the 116 km Burgas-Varna section is at the stage of environmental impact assessment and route selection. For the Rila motorway, a 107 km section is being designed, and work is under way to approve the plan for the 67 km Dupnitsa-Gyueshevo section. The Sofia and Plovdiv ring roads remain a priority.

Projects at an advanced stage, such as the Mezdra-Botevgrad expressway and Lots 0 and 2 of the Vidin-Montana road, could be completed in 2027. No new section of the Hemus motorway will be finished next year, because of significant delays on Lot 2 and suspended work on Lots 4, 5 and 6, where plans are being revised and legal issues remain, the minister said.

Water supply and sewerage will also be a priority, with 40 design and construction projects planned across the country. About €47 million is expected for pre-investment studies and the design of main water pipelines and new facilities, Deputy Minister Pavleta Pelovska said.

For construction and engineering firms, the plan points to a year of design contracts rather than large building tenders on the motorways.