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DRAFT!
The Bulgarian contribution to the drafting of the EU Strategy for the Danube Area
PRIORITY PROJECTS
The integrated priority areas and specific projects within them mentioned below show the Bulgarian national position in the preparation and implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Area. They comply with the main areas of cooperation adopted by the European Commission and they reflect the needs and intentions of all stakeholders, participants in the creation of the Bulgarian contribution to the Danube Strategy. The conclusions and recommendations obtained during public discussions serve as the basis to determine the overall vision, objectives and priorities and the scope of interventions (projects) for their implementation.
Within the Danube Strategy, Bulgaria proposes to implement integrated projects in the following main areas:
- Development of Pan-European Transport Corridor No 7 by improving the navigation in the Danube River, upgrading the port infrastructure, promoting intermodal transport, providing cross-river links and connecting transport infrastructure and developing information systems;
- Priority development of transport infrastructure (road and railway) along the Pan-European Transport Corridors 4, 9 and 10 as part of the direction Central Europe – the Aegean Sea;
- Preservation of river waters and its biodiversity;
- Using the Danube River as a driver of revival of the Danube Area, of overcoming the negative economic and demographic trends and development of Danubian villages, municipalities and districts;
- Large-scale exhibition and socialization of the exceptionally rich cultural heritage and integration on the Danubian cultural corridor with clear European content and meaning;
- Development of a complete tourist product with its specificity and tourist marketing of the Danube River and the Danube Area based on the specific natural and cultural landscape and historical environment;
- Development of the Danubian settlements in organic unity and harmony with the river applying a new approach in territorial planning which will improve the quality of the architectural environment and create a special air and colour of Bulgarian Danubian villages;
- Development of territorial cooperation with the countries in the Danube Area.
Cooperation area “Connectivity”
PRIORITY: TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
This priority comprises of a set of measures related to the development and modernization of the railway, road and port infrastructure, bridges and ferries on the Danube River, waterways and navigation systems, as well as the functional connections ensuring logistics (intermodal terminals), sustainable mobility and transport safety and security. These measures are integrated in complex project areas under the main Trans-European transport corridors and important national transport axes.
Complex project area №1: Development and upgrade of the infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Corridor № 7:
Elements (specific projects):
- Construction of a bridge across the Danube River at Silistra – Călăraşi (“Danube Bridge III”)
o Construction and renovation of the access infrastructure to the “Danube Bridge III”, change of the route and operation capability of the existing railway line, change in the dimensions and bearing capacityта of route I-7;
- Construction of a bridge across the Danube River at Oryahovo – Becket (the “Danube Bridge IV”);
- Development, reconstruction and modernization of ferry lines:
o Creation of a ferry line Lom – Rast;
o Improvement of the transport infrastructure connected to the operation o the newly-built ferry line Nikopol – Turnu Magurele;
o Creation of an eastern road to connect the ferry line Oryahovo with the country by providing for the division of the car flow to the two destinations of Pleven and Vratsa;
- Development, reconstruction and modernization of the port infrastructure:
o Development and reconstruction of the infrastructure of the Port of Silistra;
o Development and reconstruction of the infrastructure of the Port of Nikopol;
o Development and reconstruction of the infrastructure of the Port of Lom;
o Creation of a passengers’ port and a ferry line between Tutrakan and Altenitsa;
o Improvement of cross-border mobility in the area of Svishtov – Zimnicea by improving the access to the transport infrastructure.
- Improvement of ship navigation on the Danube River:
o Setting up a river information system in the Bulgarian Danube Area (BulRIS);
o Commissioning the information system for the management of the traffic of vessels – third stage (VTMIS-3);
o Improvement of navigation in the joint Bulgarian – Romanian section of the Danube Area from 530th km to 520th km – Batin and from 576th km to 560th km – Belene;
o Improvement of navigation systems and topographic and hydrographic surveys on the Danube River;
o Delivery of technical equipment for traffic control;
o „IRIS Europe II -2008-EU-700000-S” – in the area of Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T);
- Creation of the Danube Panoramic Road - reconstruction and repair works of the road sections parallel to the river from Vidin to Silistra:
o Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the panoramic road ІІ-52 (Russe – Veliko Tarnovo) – Pirgovo – Mechka – Novgrad – Svishtov from 0+000- 34+000 km.;
o Rehabilitation of Road ІІ-11 Vidin - Lom;
o Creation of a road section from РП ІІ-81 "Entrance to the town of Lom" from 0+000 to 4+720 construction km.
- Creation of a bike route and bike lanes along the Danube River from Vidin to Silistra – the Danube Bike Lane (part of the Trans-European Bike Lane along the Danube River.
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- Improvement of transport connectivity and accessibility of the areas in the Danube macro-region;
- Expansion of economic and cultural cooperation within the macro-region;
- Joint solution of issues of common interest including business such as providing access in global terms for both the area of the macro-region and other EU regions (for instance of transport nodes the Baltic Sea – the Black Sea), the EU – Middle East (Asia);
- Carrying out common policy on intermodal transport and development of environmentally – friendly transport means;
- The use of the public - private – partnership mechanism to develop new transport routes on the Danube River between Bulgaria and Romania such as new ferry lines, a third bridge, etc.;
- Upgrade of ports pursuant to the drafted National Programme for the Development of Public Infrastructure Ports by 2015 and the Strategy for Transport Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Bulgaria by 2015;
- Improved navigation in the Bulgarian and Romanian section of the river.
Complex project area №2: Development and modernization of the infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Corridor № 4
Elements (specific projects):
- Creation of a second bridge across the Danube River at Vidin - Calafat (underway - ISPA);
- Reconstruction and rehabilitation of a fist-rate road (Е79) Vidin – Montana – Vratsa – Botevgrad;
- Rehabilitation and reconstruction of Sofia North Ring Road (the Northern tangent);
- Construction of Lyulin Highway (underway);
- Construction of Struma Highway;
- Reconstruction and upgrade of the railway line Vidin – Sofia – Kulata.
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- Improvement of transport connectivity and accessibility of the areas in the Danube macro-region;
- Expansion of economic and cultural cooperation within the macro-region;
- Joint solution of issues of common interest including business such as providing access in global terms for both the area of the macro-region and other EU regions – direct connection of the EU Member States with Thessaloniki Port;
- Carrying out common policy on intermodal transport and development of environmentally – friendly transport means.
Complex project area №3: Development and modernization of the infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Corridor №9:
Elements (specific projects):
- Reconstruction and upgrade of “the Danube Area -1” Ruse – Giurgiu and the adjoining railway line;
- Creation of an intermodal terminal in Ruse;
- Creation of a southern – south-eastern bypass of Ruse (from the main road І-5 Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo, via the main road І-2 Ruse – Varna to the main road ІІ-21 Ruse – Silistra;
- Improvement of the access of the European region Ruse – Giurgiu to the Pan-European Transport Corridor №9;
- Rehabilitation of the transport infrastructure for the development of cross-border cooperation in the area of Giurgiu - Ruse (R.O.A.D. GIURGIU – RUSE)
- Reconstruction and development of a four-lane road І-5 Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo from 6+600 to 65+200 km.”;
- Design and construction of a tunnel below Shipka.
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- Improvement of transport connectivity and accessibility of the areas in the Danube macro-region;
- Expansion of economic and cultural cooperation within the macro-region;
- Joint solution of issues of common interest including business such as providing access in global terms for both the area of the macro-region and other EU regions – the connection of the North – East Europe with the Aegean Sea;
Complex project area №4: Development and modernization of the infrastructure along the Trans-European Transport Corridor №10:
Elements (specific projects):
- Construction of Sofia – Kalotina Highway;
- Construction of the Northern tangent of Sofia;
- Construction of Maritsa Highway
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- The construction of the railway tunnel beneath the Bosphorus as well as the currently upgraded railway link between Bulgaria and Turkey create new prospects for intermodal transport in broader terms by ensuring the integration of the Danube macro-region with the fast-developing markets of commodities and raw materials in the middle East and Central Asia.
Complex project area №5: Development and modernization of the transport infrastructure in the direction the Danube – the Black Sea (Ruse – Razgrad – Shoumen – Varna):
Elements (specific projects):
- Reconstruction and development of a four-lane road І-2 Ruse – Razgrad - Varna from 12+208 to 37+300” km.;
- Road I-2 Ruse - Razgrad from 54+700 to 61+053 km. and from 63+420 to 69+300 km.
- Road І-2 Razgrad - Shumen from 88+010 to 92+700 km.
- Reconstruction of the project parameters of the railway line Ruse - Varna
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- Ensuring access of the macro – region to the Black Sea Economic Area;
- The Bulgarian region has modern Black – Sea ports with good specifics and traditional Danube ports with developed railway links to them, which are a good premise for participation in schemes for intermodal transport in the Danube macro-area and the EU in general.
Complex project area №6: Development of Hemus Highway and reconstruction and upgrade of first-rate roads from the highway to the ports on the Danube River:
Elements (specific projects):
- Development of Hemus Highway from Yablanitsa to Shumen;
- Development and reconstruction of first-rate road links from the highway to the ports of Nikopol and Svishtov.
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- The prospects for better transport communication will create conditions for increased flexibility on the labour market in the region and increased number of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) with joint capitals.
- The completion and commissioning of new transport links between the economic and administrative centres along the Danube River will be important for greater cooperation.
PRIORITY: ENERGY NETWORKS
This project comprises of a set of initiatives and measures aiming at regional integration through joint transnational energy initiatives including the establishment of cross-border electrical paths; development of the missing links in the energy system, modernization, establishment of a common regulatory framework, security systems, financial models, photovoltaic electrical power plants for renewable power sources as well as implementation of energy efficiency measures.
Complex project area №7: Energy efficiency and development of plants for renewable energy sources
Elements (specific projects):
- Development of a photovoltaic power plant in Belogradchik Municipality
- Development of a photovoltaic power plant in Mizia Municipality
- Development of a photovoltaic power plant in Gigen Municipality
- Development of a photovoltaic power plant in Pavkikeni Municipality
- Implementation of energy efficiency measures of residential and public buildings
- Creation of a demo village with zero energy consumption
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- Increased energy independence of the macro-region by means of developing new networks and connecting networks in operation for transit transportation of natural gas;
- Increased share of the power generated from RES based on the specific potential of the macro-region;
- Setting up and operation of a common energy market in the Danube macro-region including the development of new and upgrade of existing inter-system connection of the electricity transmission networks in the country.
- Increased energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption in the household and industrial sector.
Complex project area №8: Gasification
Elements (specific projects):
- Gasification of the region Dobrich - Silistra;
- Construction of a gas power plant (in Montana Distrit).
Rationale – benefits and value added for Bulgaria and the countries from the Danube macro-region:
- Increased degree of gasification in the household and industrial sector of the Bulgarian part of the Danube macro-region in order to limit the use of fossil fuels;
- Development of an infrastructure for transit transportation of natural gas via Bulgaria to the other countries in the region;
Cooperation Area “Environment and Risk Prevention”
PRIORITY: PROTECTION OF THE DANUBE RIVER – REDUCED WATER POLLUTION
This project reflects the measures relating to integrated planning and management of the river zone with a number of interventions on the infrastructure and environment protection technologies such as treatment plants, waste management, sewerage, soil treatment, water treatment and drinking water supply. It shows the need of investment, modernization, establishment of sufficient capacity and implementation of training measures, delivery of technical equipment for efficient river waters pollution control, environmental management systems for ports in the Bulgarian section of the Danube river (ECOPORT8), integrated water management, waste treatment and management infrastructure, as well as number of projects relating to the use of Danube water for irrigation purposes.