The construction and installation works at the Rudozem - Xanthi border checkpoint have been completed

At the moment, the construction and installation works at the Rudozem - Xanthi border checkpoint are fully completed. The 72-hour tests of the built installations are forthcoming.

The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works - Violeta Komitova informed about this in response to a written question of MPs about the progress in the construction of the checkpoint and the connecting infrastructure.

The deadline for project implementation is December 31 this year.

The newly built border checkpoint will be put into operation upon its acceptance by the state acceptance commission. After signing Act Model 16, equipment will be delivered for the needs of the respective services - DG Border Police and the Customs Agency, as well as for the employees of the Border Police of the Hellenic Republic.

The construction of a new cross-border crossing Rudozem - Xanthi is implemented within the strategic project "Aimed at improving cross-border accessibility", funded by the Cross-border Cooperation Program INTERREG V-A Greece - Bulgaria. The project has a leading partner on the Greek side - Egnatia Odos and Bulgarian partners - Smolyan District Administration and Road Infrastructure Agency.

The main component of the strategic investment on Bulgarian territory is the construction of a new border checkpoint "Rudozem - Xanthi", which is implemented by the Smolyan District Administration, with three subprojects - repair, reconstruction and construction of sections of second-class national road infrastructure. Road sections provide connection to the new border crossing.

So far, RIA has carried out major repairs on the road II-59 Momchilgrad - Krumovgrad - Ivaylovgrad. By the end of the year it is planned to complete the reconstruction of a section of the second-class road Srednogortsi - Rudozem.

Regarding the third road within the project - Bypass road of Rudozem, reconstruction of an existing street, construction of a new road route and two new facilities are envisaged: a viaduct with a length of 200 m and a bridge over the Chepinska River, repair of a bridge over the river Arda. There are already selected contractors for the construction works on the bypass road and the new viaduct. The contracts for construction supervision have been signed. The repair of the road is planned to start in early autumn this year with a deadline of 10 months. The construction of the viaduct will be completed in 2022.