Discussion forum Construction in 2019 – prospective and challenge
The eight consecutivediscussion forum ‘Construction in 2019 – prospective and challenge’ took place on 26th of September 2018 in hotel Balkan in Sofia. The event has been organized by the Bulgarian construction chamber (BCC) and Stroitel newspaper and gathered representatives of the construction business and officials. The start of the forum has been given with speeches of the Mayor of Sofia Mrs. Yordanka Fandukova, the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Tomislav Donchev, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Mrs. Petya Avramova as well as Mr. Kjetil Tonning – president of the European Construction Industry Federation.
The discussions in each of the panels had been concentrated both on the problems of the industry and the challenges and opportunities for development provided by the operational programs. In the first part dipl. Eng. Svetoslav Glossov Chairman of the Management Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency, dipl. eng. Galina Vassileva - Head of the Managing Authority of the Operational Program on Transport and Transport Infrastructure, Prof. Dr. Eng. Stoyan Bratoev – CEO of Metropoliten Jsc. and Nadezda National – Head of department in Directorate ‘Strategic development and investment projects’ by the National Railway Infrastructure Company discussed on the major transportation projects to be implemented or started in 2019.
In the second panel, which was focused on the water and sewerage sector, the moderator was the CEO of Raicommerce and deputy chair of the District Representation of BCC with participants Valeria Kalcheva, Director General of the Environment OP Directorate General, Svetoslav Tcekov representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and Svetla Kircheva, Director of direction ‘Founding of projects and activities’ by the EMEPA, presented the opportunities for acomplishment of projects in the water sector under OPE and RDP. In her resume Valeria Kalcheva pointed that ‘99% of the resources under Operational Program ‘Environment 2014-2020’ has been announced. 88 projects worth 38% of the OPE budget are in progress. Under Priority Axis 1 "Waters", 15 projects worth over BGN 605 million are implemented, but at that time less than 10% of the funds are paid. According to the "Waste" axis, 23 projects for BGN 122 million are implemented. There are 18 projects under evaluation - including the third phase of the Sofia Municipal Waste Treatment Plant. Under "Risk Prevention and Strengthening of Landslides" axis - 8 projects are evaluated and 2 are being implemented’.
The main investments under the ‘Rural Development Program 2014-2020’ are in public infrastructure - roads, schools, kindergartens, public buildings, etc. The Program has a budget of nearly BGN 3 billion. This year twice were accepted projects under Sub-measure 7.2, the first time a budget of EUR 141 million was distributed for streets, municipal roads, water supply and social infrastructure, cultural life, kindergartens. The budget of the second admission of this measure is BGN 100 million, no projects for water and sewerage infrastructure are accepted, but an extra BGN 88 million is expected to be redeployed for the first admission. All applications are reviewed and their approval is pending’ said Svetoslav Tcekov, Head of Public Policy Department at Rural Development Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
In the last panel dpl. Eng. Alexy Kesiakov – secretary of the State-public advisory committee on road safety, prof. dr. eng. Roumen Milanov – University of Architecture Civil Engineering and Geodesy and PhD. of Economics Nikolay Ivanov – member of the MB of BCC and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Road Safety Bulgarian Branch Association presented guidelines for improvement of the road safety.
