Greece-Bulgaria in record time - The new road on the country's northern border is being delivered today

The northernmost section of Vertical Axis 70 of the Egnatia Motorway "Xanthi - Echinos - Greek-Bulgarian Border" is being delivered to traffic today, making it easier for residents, professionals and travelers moving between Thrace and Bulgaria. This is the Dimario - Greek-Bulgarian Border section, approximately 8 kilometers long, which completes the northernmost part of the axis and is now open to traffic.

The handover ceremony is expected to be attended by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Dimas, and the Secretary General of Infrastructure, Dimitrios Anagnopoulos, underlining the importance of the project for the country's international and interregional connections.

Vertical Axis 70 is part of the Trans-European Road Network and directly connects the Egnatia Motorway with the Greek-Bulgarian border, creating a new, modern transportation and trade corridor.

This specific section starts from Dimario and ends at the border, towards the city of Rudozem in Bulgaria, and now, with its official handover, the route between Xanthi and Bulgaria becomes shorter, safer and clearly more functional, both for private vehicles and for professional transport.

The vertical axis "Xanthi - Echinos - Greek-Bulgarian Border" is being built in sections and includes the sections Xanthi - Sminthi, Sminthi - Echinos, Echinos - Melivoia and Melivoia - Dimario, with the last one, towards the border, being the one that is being delivered today.

The aim of the project is to directly connect the Egnatia Motorway with Bulgaria through a new border station, while through the existing road a connection is also created with the Smolyan and Rudozem regions of the neighboring country.

During our communication last year with the Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Christodoulos Topsides, he had emphasized to us at the time that the vertical axis is not just another road project, but a road that can change the balance in tourism, trade and cross-border relations.

According to what he had told us, this road significantly strengthens the coastal front of the Regional Unit of Xanthi, enabling the residents of Bulgaria to travel more easily and quickly to our country. At the same time, as he had noted, conditions are created for cultural exchanges, collaborations and general mobility of people and activities between the two sides of the border.

The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, moreover, is not limited only to its geographical boundaries. It receives tourism from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Serbia, and systematically invests in the upgrading of its road and border infrastructure. For example, border station modernization projects are underway, such as a 12 million euro investment in the Kipi Customs House, while a significant intervention with a new customs station is also planned for the Kastanei Customs House.