Bulgaria prepares talks with Romania on two new bridges across the Danube

Bulgaria plans to begin negotiations on the construction of two additional bridges across the Danube once a stable government is formed in Romania. Transport Minister Georgi Peev announced this during a hearing before the relevant committee of the Bulgarian Parliament.

The minister identified the development of north–south transport links as one of the country’s key infrastructure priorities. According to him, Bulgaria is already holding consultations with the European Commissioner for Transport, while substantive negotiations with Bucharest are expected to begin once Romania’s political situation stabilises.

The new Danube crossings are intended to reduce infrastructure bottlenecks at the Bulgarian–Romanian border, increase the capacity of transport corridors and improve connectivity between the Baltic, Black Sea and Aegean regions. The two countries are currently linked by the combined road and rail bridges at Ruse–Giurgiu and Vidin–Calafat.

Peev also reported that an interdepartmental working group had identified Bulgaria’s strategic infrastructure projects. These priorities include Corridor VIII, which is expected to strengthen transport connections between the Black and Adriatic seas.

The ministry is also focusing on preserving EU funding for railway projects. The Bulgarian authorities are reviewing their priorities based on safety, connectivity and readiness for implementation. By the end of 2027, the country also plans to introduce a Unified National Traffic Management System incorporating a sensor network, payment terminals and a National Operations Centre.

Comment by the Institute of Danube Research

The initiative to construct two new bridges reflects the gradual transformation of the Danube’s role in South-Eastern Europe’s transport policy: the river should evolve from a natural border into an integration corridor.

The existing bridge infrastructure between Bulgaria and Romania is insufficient for current passenger and freight volumes. New crossings could reduce logistics costs, improve the resilience of European Union transport routes and strengthen the Romania–Bulgaria–Greece axis as an important component of Europe’s north–south connectivity.

The implementation of these projects is also strategically important for Ukraine. The development of bridges and access infrastructure in the Lower Danube region would expand access to Romanian and Bulgarian ports, create additional routes to the Aegean Sea and improve the resilience of regional logistics amid security risks in the Black Sea. However, the effectiveness of the new bridges will depend on the coordinated development of road and rail connections, border infrastructure and harmonised cargo-clearance procedures.