South-Eastern Europe took on Wednesday evening a significant step towards deeper regional integration and increased connectivity after Greece, Bulgaria and Romania signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost cross-border cooperation in the field of transport infrastructure, a European Commission press release informs.
The Memorandum of Understanding signals a shared determination to accelerate the modernisation and interoperability of strategic rail, road and inland waterway links. This deepening cooperation will support mobility, trade flows, economic cohesion and security across the region. The agreement established a Black Sea-Aegean Sea Corridor Platform (BACP), bringing together the three member states' Ministers of Transport to provide strategic guidance and political coordination for its implementation. This work will be supported by the European Coordinators and EU institutions, and will be conducted at a technical level.
"This commitment by Greece, Bulgaria and Romania marks a decisive step in strengthening the most strategic north-south corridor in south-east Europe. By deepening cooperation, we are strengthening connectivity for citizens and businesses and reinforcing Europe's security, competitiveness and resilience across the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Danube. The European Commission will stand with them at every step," said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
The agreement was signed in Brussels on Wednesday evening by Commissioner Tzitzikostas, the Greek Alternate Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis, the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov, and Secretary of State in the Romanian Ministry of Transport, Ionut-Cristian Savoiu, marking the consolidation of cross-border cooperation and the launch of a project of major geopolitical and economic importance for the region.
According to Tzitzikostas, the Thessaloniki-Alexandroupolis-Bucharest axis plays a central role in this new framework, as "it will constitute one of the most important strategic arteries in Europe", both for connectivity and the military mobility needs of the EU and NATO.
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