Ivan Shishkov: I am expecting permission for the construction of the Ruse – Byala highway in September

At the moment, API has prepared the documentation for expropriations along the route, the minister also announced

“Although the design deadlines are until 2024, I expect that in September there will be a ready investment project and a construction permit will be issued for part of highwayso ruse – White.”

This was said by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Arch. Ivan Shishkov in the program “Bulgaria in the Morning” on Bulgaria On Air TV, the press center of MRRB.

“At the moment, the Road Infrastructure Agency has prepared the documentation for expropriations under routeit“, the minister also announced and added that the detailed development plans were also approved, and the site was declared national.

It is already being built in its entirety and highway “Europe”, it became clear from the words of the minister, who recalled that soon this one highway was a construction site in its part next to the Kalotina border crossing.

“We have released six kilometers to Kalotina, within seven or eight days, most likely, all traffic will be released“, architect Shishkov also informed.

He emphasized that for the last eight months the service team of MRRB has approved the Detailed Development Plan of highway “Europe”, since there was none, managed to process the expropriation of part of routeand last but not least, he managed to issue a construction permit for the last lot of the highway.

“It is not a matter of political dividend who will build how many roads. The important thing is to build qualitatively and plan in order to have a perspective in the future to build all the roads as quickly as possible“, the minister stated and added that until now there were no planned entire highways, and those that were started were actually “dormant”.

“There were highways that were not developed. Therefore, the effort we have made is to make it possible to build entire highways very soon – as is already being built highway “Europe”, so that it can be built as a whole highway “Goitre“, he also said Ivan Shishkov.

Within a few months it should become clear whether or not the European Commission approves the environmental measures for the passage of highway “Struma” through the Kresna gorge, it became clear from the minister’s words. He informed that there is currently a correspondence on the matter and everything depends on the response of the commission.

“The issued permission for the construction of the road junction at Kresna does not predetermine the choice of route“, the minister was categorical. According to him, if this construction permit had not been issued, the EIA would have been lost and highway Struma would go back four years.

“The deadlines cannot be skipped because the damage to the state will be greatShishkov was categorical.

In front of the audience, the minister stated that if the European Commission confirms the EIA issued in 2017 and if it is proven that this option is the most environmentally sustainable, the construction of the highway will start routeit through the Kresna gorge. If the answer is no, it will have to change routeit.

“For four or five years, comments were made, analysis was made, research was done routeincluding an option with a 15-kilometer tunnel, as well as route with two lanes outside the gorge, but most likely in the past the current option was the most environmentally friendly“, explained architect Shishkov. He emphasized that one of the most important components was taken into account when choosing route, namely the noise. Therefore, if both routeif they are separated, as in the current version, the noise would be much less than if they were joined together.

“This option seeks a good technical solution together with preserving the nature and the financial part of the project“, the regional minister was emphatic.

In the studio Ivan Shishkov expressed surprise at the protests of representatives of the Kresna region highway “Struma” to pass through the gorge: “I didn’t hear much criticism about the ecology. The criticism is mainly on the fact that three or four establishments will have a problem with their operation, which also turned out to be illegal. Regarding the rafting that is practiced there, I am also not convinced that their structures are legal and they are literally located in the river, i.e. we are talking about nature conservation. But nature is for everyone and we all have to protect it, not certain people to exploit it.“

In August, it is expected that the landslide at the “Zheleznitsa” tunnel will be partially strengthened and the traffic from Greece to Sofia will be allowed in one lane in the direction of Sofia, the regional minister also announced, based on the assurances of the builder. He recalled that already in 2020, he found that there was a landslide in the section, but the regular government did not take the necessary measures for its timely strengthening. “That is why we are now making sure that there is a way to the tunnel”Shishkov explained.

He also announced that an expert council has already approved amendments to the Detailed Development Plan for the roundabouts on the Mezdra-Botevgrad expressway and the construction of the specific road junctions is about to begin. He recalled that 7.5 km of routeit when passing the village of Novachene.