PM Zhelyazkov: "Burgas-West" Will Become a New Hub for Container Transport in the Black Sea

Prime Minister, Rosen Zhelyazkov, described the large-scale "REBIRTH28" initiative—aimed at building a new deep-water berth at the "Burgas-West" terminal—as a strategic transformation in the development of Bulgaria's port infrastructure, the government press office said on April 23.

Zhelyazkov attended the official ceremony marking the successful completion of the project, which is expected to enhance the competitiveness of Bulgarian ports. “We are enabling ‘Burgas West’ to become the new container transport hub on the Black Sea,” the Prime Minister said.

He emphasised that Burgas stands as a prime example of effective public-private partnerships, with "REBIRTH28" being the largest port infrastructure project undertaken in Bulgaria in the past 20 years. IA private investment that creates public infrastructure that is and will remain public state property, Zhelyazkov pointed out. In his words, the project is also significant in the context of the development of multimodal transport.

The Prime Minister particularly underlined the benefits of combining European and private financing. The project includes €40 million in grants under the Connecting Europe Facility, alongside planned additional investments to support the center’s logistics operations. "If we’re talking about the Green Deal in Europe and its necessary revision, this is the example—because by improving competitiveness and reducing logistical timeframes, we achieve our goals without unnecessary administrative regulations," he stated.

During his visit in Burgas, Zhelyazkov also addressed questions from the media regarding the equipment for the Belene Nuclear Power Plant. He reiterated that any decision on the matter must come from the National Assembly. When asked about the early warning system, the Prime Minister clarified that “BG-ALERT” is not designed to provide early warnings for earthquakes, noting that no system currently has the capability to do so due to the unpredictable nature of such disasters.