The OPTTI 2014 – 2020 annual report per 2019 has been approved by the European Commission

„Despite the difficulties we faced during the implementation of the OP „Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014 - 2020“ (OPTTI 2014 – 2020), the overall financial target for absorption of funds under the programme has been achieved with more than 112% in 2019 and respectively no risk of losing money is expected.“ This is written in the OPTTI’s 2014 – 2020 Annual Implementation Report per 2019. In accordance with the normative requirements of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, the Managing Authority of OPTTI 2014 – 2020 submitted the document to the EC, which has approved it. The report indicates that in 2019 the road sector projects have kept the positive development trend and the construction of the Sofia metro line 3 was continued. It is noted in the report that the pace of investments in the railway sector and in innovation projects has remained not enough sufficient. Among the major OPTTI 2014 – 2020 achievements in 2019 is the percent of contracted and certified funding. The amount of the contracted funds is EURO 1 572 692 359, which represents 83 % of the total budget of the programme, the amount of the certified expenditures is EURO 583 912 678 (31% of the budget). As achievements are considered also the rehabilitation of 26 km railway section „Skutare – Orizovo“, part of the Plovdiv – Burgas railway line, as well as the started reconstructions of the railway stations Karnobat, Poduyane and Iskar, and the concluded contract with the selected contractor for modernization of the railway section Elin Pelin – Vakarel, part of the „Elin Pelin – Kostenets“ project. It is also indicated in the document, that in May 2019 had been put into operation 6,5 km of Lot 3.1 of the Struma Motorway, and that the actual construction of the Zheleznitsa tunnel, the longest road tunnel so far in Bulgaria, has been commenced together with the adjoining road sections before and after it. Considerable progress is reported on the construction work for extension of Sofia metro. Entirely completed are 8 km of metro lines and 8 metro stations under the project for the central section from metro line 3 of the Sofia underground railway (from Zhitnitsa street to Vladimir Vazov Blvd.). 20 metro trains were delivered to the Zemlyane depot, all of which have the possibility of autonomous unmanned control. During the past year was continued the construction of 4 km metro lines and 4 metro stations on the track of Metro line 3 from Zhitnitsa street via Ovcha Kupel Residential District to the Sofia Ring Road, where will be constructed an intermodal connection with the railway line Sofia – Pernik in the Gorna Banya Residential District, is underlined in the report as well.