With the support of over 60 members and undersigned organisations, Pro Danube approached the Bulgarian Transport Minister Mr Ivaylo Moskovski in order to ensure immediate dredging of the critical Bulgarian Danube sections. Based on the information received from the hydrographic surveys of the Danube fairway performed beginning of June by the Bulgarian waterway administration, it became clear that especially at the locations of Milka Island (km 569 – 567), Brashlyan Island (KM 457-455) and Popina (KM 407-405) the fairway depths will fall even below 1,8 m in case of shallow water situations which can be expected usually for summer and autumn. These well-known bottlenecks have created in previous years (2011-2016) several times severe restrictions to navigation or even total blockage leading to massive financial losses.

This official request on behalf of the industry is in line with the international obligations of the State of Bulgaria to ensure minimum navigation conditions and with its commitments within the EU initiatives for improving maintenance of the Danube fairway (by signing the Declarations of the Danube Transport Ministers in Luxembourg/June 2012, in Brussels/December 2014 and in Rotterdam/June 2016).

In addition, PDI informed the EU Commissioner for Transport Ms Violeta Bulc and Commissioner for Regional Policy Ms Corina Cretu on the critical state and asked to urge the Bulgarian minister for Transport to act immediately in order to avoid blockage of Danube. Further interventions on various political and administrative levels are planned in the next two weeks if necessary.

We would like to use this chance and thank again all those organisations that have supported our initiative. The letter and list of undersigned companies can be found attached to this news.

Letter to Mr Ivaylo Moskovski, Bulgarian Transport Minister
List of undersigned companies