SOFIA - Bulgarian Transportation Minister Nikolai Vasilev will go to Turkey on Monday to attend the 30th term meeting of Turkey-Bulgaria Joint Transportation Commission (JTC).
Vasilev told A.A correspondent on Sunday that they attributed importance to further improvement of Turkish-Bulgarian relations in every field, adding that Turkey was an important neighbor and a reliable partner of Bulgaria. He expressed belief that Turkey thought the same for Bulgaria.
Noting that they would take up all issues concerning transportation in detail during JTC meeting, Vasilev said that highway passages should be speeded up at border gates of two countries since it was one of the biggest problems in highway transportation.
He said that important progress was made to solve this problem, but both countries should exert efforts to speed up truck passages especially at Kapikule-Captain Andrevo border gate.
Noting that there was no problem between Turkey and Bulgaria in sea transportation, Vasilev said that it was necessary to increase mutual flights between two countries.
Vasilev said that efforts continued to open a new border gate between Hamzabeyli and Lezovo and noted that gate could not be completed so far since road could not be constructed as quickly as necessary.
Noting that it was necessary to complete road construction within 5-6 months, Vasilev said that if it was completed, Hamzabeyli-Lezevo border gate would be opened until the end of 2004. He added that Hamzabeyli-Lezevo border gate would be taken up in JTC meeting.
Vasilev said that trade volume between Turkey and Bulgaria increased by three times thanks to the free trade agreement which was signed between two countries a few years ago. He hoped this figure would increase by two times more within five years. He added that Bulgaria could be the major economic partner of Turkey if its economy and market grew.
Bulgarian Transportation Minister Vasilev said that it was the Turkish and Bulgarian businessmen who would undertake the biggest responsibility for this issue. He added that increase in reciprocal investments would have great contributions to development of economies of not only two countries but also the regional countries.
(GC-BRC) 18.04.2004