Overview
The Operational Programme on Transport 2007-2013 (OPT) is one of seven operational programmes of the Republic of Bulgaria, which are financed by the Structural and the Cohesion Funds of the EU. The OPT programme is the operational programme with the largest budget in Bulgaria.
The goal of OPT is development of railway, road and waterway infrastructure, as well as stimulation of development of mixed transport in accordance with the transport policy of the European Union and the established requirements for development of the Trans-European transport network in order to achieve stability of the Bulgarian transport system.
Specific features of the OPT are advanced selection of particular beneficiaries of the projects and advanced prioritisation of an indicative list of infrastructure projects envisaged for financing under the programme.
The operational programme is focused on several strategic priorities, which will contribute to the integration of the national transport network in the EU one. Achieving those priorities will make a fundamental contribution towards stable and balanced economic growth in the country in the intermediate- and the long-term.
The general goal of the OPT is the development of a stable transport system.
The specific goals of the programme are:
- Integration of the national transport system in the transport network of the European Union;
- Achieving balance between different types of transport.
According to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1083/2006 the programme has to be defined at the level of Priority Axes, underlining the most important directions of development. There are five Priority Axes in the OPT.
Priority axis I - Development of railway infrastructure along the major national and Pan-European transport axes
Priority axis II - Development of road infrastructure along the major national and Pan-European transport axes
Priority axis III - Improvement of intermodality for passenger and freight
Priority axis IV - Improvement of the maritime and inland-waterway navigation
Priority axis V - Technical Assistance