Greece, Bulgaria and Romania have signed a cooperation agreement in Brussels to advance the construction of a major north–south road and rail corridor linking Thessaloniki with Bucharest via Alexandroupoli and Bgariaul.
The pact was signed on Thursday December 4th by the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, together with the three countries’ Ministers of Transport – Konstantinos Kyranakis of Greece, Grozdan Karadjov of Bulgaria and Ionuț Cristian Săvoiu of Romania.
The signing of the agreement marks the formal adoption of a detailed plan and timeline for the project, which aims to deliver a modern, safe and fully interconnected transport axis across Southeastern Europe.
According to Commissioner Tzitzikostas, the pact will allow works to begin immediately, enabling the three countries to be connected through upgraded road and railway infrastructure.
He underlined that the corridor carries significant strategic weight, as it not only strengthens links between Greece, Bulgaria and Romania but also connects the Aegean Sea with the Black Sea, the wider region of the Euxine and ultimately Central Europe. The project is expected to generate important benefits for security, trade, mobility, outward economic activity and tourism.
The Commissioner stressed that the agreement represents a major step forward for European connectivity along the Baltic–Black Sea–Aegean Transport Corridor and the broader Trans-European Transport Network. He noted that the signing comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension and increased security needs for Europe.
“The signing of this memorandum is far more than a formal act. It is a milestone for all of Europe,” Tzitzikostas said, adding that the three countries are making a collective commitment to deepen cooperation and strengthen the transport links that connect them with each other and with Central Europe.
He highlighted the importance of the region where the Baltic–Black Sea–Aegean corridor intersects with the Rhine–Danube corridor — a junction that places Greece, Bulgaria and Romania in a strategically responsible position as guardians of Europe’s critical economic arteries, supply chains and military mobility routes.
Looking ahead, Tzitzikostas said the agreement transforms plans into concrete projects.
In 2026, the three countries will present a joint plan outlining the central, western and eastern routes, setting priorities and defining the financing framework.
The pact, he underlined, represents a political commitment by the EU and the three governments to deliver one of Europe’s most strategically important transport links for its southeastern region.
