Construction of a new checkpoint at the Greece-Bulgaria border near Rudozem, along with new roads, tunnels and bridges, will make it easier and safer to travel between the two countries.
- 30 July 2020
This new border crossing constitutes a priority for cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece and its governments. The project will improve infrastructure in the cross-border area and builds on the significant investments in TEN-T, made in this region in the past.
A new EU-funded border crossing and improved infrastructure will be completed by 2021, meaning businesses, locals and tourists can look forward to faster, safer and more comfortable travel between both countries.
The road network will connect major ports like Kavala (GR), Alexadroupoli (GR) and Burgas (BG) with airports in Plovdiv (BG), Kavala (GR) and Alexadroupoli (GR). Thanks to this, an increase in tourism and commerce is expected to improve quality of life and lead to closer relations between residents in the region.
Driving growth on both sides of the border
The Greece–Bulgaria cross-border area covers both mountainous and coastal areas. The region has historically suffered from poor quality road infrastructure and low economic growth, which acted as a barrier between major cities and tourist resorts.
The Rudozem-Xanthi border checkpoint is crucial for citizens on both sides of the border who live in rural and urban communities. The border crossing ensures access to coastal resorts along the northern Aegean sea in Greece and to ski resorts in Bulgaria’s south-eastern mountains.
Pamporovo is one such resort. It is the most southern ski resort in Europe and one of the largest in Bulgaria. The new road infrastructure will link Pamporovo and its surrounding ski slopes with Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, to the North and Greece to the South.
Kavala lies at the southern-most point of the new road network. It is a major port in North Greece and an important economic area with the island of Thasos nearby.
Protecting drivers and the natural environment
Since construction began in 2016, care has been taken to protect nature in the sections where work. New tunnels and bridges along the more treacherous stretches of road will make the journey significantly safer. Road surfaces have also been renewed.
The improved border crossing will mitigate regional disparities and providing more equal opportunities. Easier travel across the border will support the competitiveness of the broader Balkan Mediterranean region and will help to link it with the Trans-European Transport Network in the north and west.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “CrossBo/Aiming at Improving Cross - Border Accessibility” is EUR 38 802 558, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 32 982 174 through the “Interreg V-A - Greece-Bulgaria” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “A better interconnected cross-border area”.