Over €100m in Support Announced for Transport Sector

More than €100m in direct and indirect support will be allocated to the transport sector following a meeting at the Transport Ministry on April 7.

Caretaker Transport and Communications Minister Korman Ismailov said that an additional €18m would be provided in 2026 for targeted municipal expenses to subsidise passenger transport on intercity bus routes.

Caretaker Economy Minister Irina Shtonova said that a programme has been developed under which, until the end of 2026, participating companies will not be required to repay the principal on their leasing obligations. Instead, they will only need to cover the interest, which typically amounts to around 5–10% of their payments.

Magdalena Miltenova, Chair of the Confederation of Bus Carriers, noted that tourist travel and the transport of workers — so-called specialised transport services — remain outside the scope of the measure. She added that efforts would continue to identify support options.

“What we are proposing is to explore options for freeing up resources from operational programmes across the various government departments.”

photos by BTA