Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania launch Aegean-Black Sea transport corridor

Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania have signed a memorandum of cooperation to develop a strategic transport megaproject connecting the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. The project involves constructing and modernizing road and rail infrastructure along the Thessaloniki–Sofia–Bucharest route.

Announced by European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas at the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, the project has a 15-year implementation horizon. The corridor is designed to provide a terrestrial alternative for the movement of goods and people, reducing sole reliance on the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. Beyond Bucharest, the route is intended to extend toward Central and Western Europe, while eastward connections will link to Moldova and Ukraine.

Bulgaria is positioned as a central link between Greek ports, Romania, and the broader European transport network. Funding for the 68.3-kilometer Alexandroupolis–Pythio railway section has already been secured with 277 million euros from the Connecting Europe Facility. Additional funding sources for remaining sections are expected to be announced in the coming months, utilizing both European and national resources. The corridor is part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) under the Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea direction.