Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Zheleznitsa, longest tunnel in Bulgaria opens to traffic

Zheleznitsa tunnel
Photo: BGNES

With an official ceremony, Zheleznitsa tunnel on Struma motorway was opened to traffic. The tunnel is 2 kms. long, and it is the longest tunnel built in the country. Struma motorway is part of the Orient/East–Med Corridor, linking Vidin with Kulata, catering to the traffic to Greece. It is the shortest route between Western and Central Europe towards Thessaloniki and the Aegean Sea, connecting Europe with Asia. Sofia is expecting a positive response by the European Commission, within a fortnight, regarding the last section of the motorway across Kresna Gorge. “The proposal is for it to pass East of the gorge,” said Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Andrey Tsekov, and added that an optimistic deadline for the completion of Struma motorway would be 2028.

Mayors of municipalities adjacent to the motorway demanded the construction, as a matter of urgency, of an additional road link to Simitly, where traffic towards Bansko-Gotze Delchev-Greece can be diverted to avoid congestion after the new tunnel Zheleznitsa.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Ivelin Mihaylov

Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption Commission probes 'Velichie' party in major property fraud case

Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating a large-scale property fraud and money laundering scheme connected to the 'Historical Park', which is associated with Ivelin Mihaylov, the leader of the Velichie party. Those arrested include the..

published on 11/26/25 2:30 PM
Boyko Borissov

Borissov cites EU defence adjustment to claim a 2026 deficit of 2.7%.

The ruling party and the opposition argued about the procedure for the Budget Committee meeting before the final vote on the 2006 budget .  Assen Vassilev, chairman of the We Continue the Change party, attempted to block the committee’s extraordinary..

published on 11/26/25 2:15 PM

Agriculture and forestry workers protest for higher salaries

Employees in the agriculture and forestry sector staged a protest in front of the Parliament, demanding higher salaries for workers in departments that are secondary budget administrators. The protest was organized by the National Federation of..

published on 11/26/25 12:34 PM