TEN – T GUIDELINES

THE BALKANS AND BLACK SEA REGIONAL COMMISSION PROPOSALS

Following an extensive consultation with all the relevant stakeholders from February 2009 to June 2010, the European Commission opened the debate on key challenges and objectives of the TEN-T policy, and adopted on 19 October a proposal to transform the existing patchwork of European roads, railways, airports, and canals into a unified network. The proposal of the Commission includes, among others, the implementation of a dual layer structure for the TEN-T. Thus, for the new programming period the TEN-T will be comprised by a core and a comprehensive network.

An efficient TEN-T framework will undoubtedly lead to the smooth functioning of the internal market, boost European competitiveness and contribute to the economic, social and territorial cohesion.

The general proposals of the BBSRC as regards the new TEN-T framework are the following:

• The funding of the comprehensive network is vague. The mobilization of private funds should be the objective not only of the core but also of the comprehensive network. • The comprehensive network upon which crucial nodes and links added requires the allocation of sufficient funds. • The network should address a series of different needs, whilst it should take into account in the planning the local and regional circumstances and the exceptional geographical features (mountains, islands etc…). Due to the diversity of the European regions, the planning and implementation tools of the TEN-T cannot be applied for the entire EU, but must take into account the specificities of the different areas. The geographical morphology plays a crucial role in the construction, management and maintenance costs of infrastructures. • With regard to the ports, emphasis should not be placed only to freight, but ports should be chosen according to ferry services as well. Ports do not just serve a logistical purpose; they are also the focal points of regional development. • Possible network extensions should be based on overall consideration and actual needs of freight and passenger transport. • Regarding the planning and implementation of the comprehensive network, a bottom-up approach should be followed, as opposed to the top-down of the core network. That means that the network should be based on the member states’ and of the local and regional authorities’ proposals. • In the process of developing a coherent transport network, the European Commission should take into account not only the increased freight transportation, but to include in the network ports with important passenger and touristic flows, as it is the case with most of the ports of the Aegean Sea. • In the planning and implementation of the network the differences between the regions with regard to the development of transport infrastructure should be taken into consideration. • The proposed connections should be able to reduce the level of remoteness and isolation of some European territories and in particular of the insular ones, and should be able to contribute to the socio-economic development of the areas that they pass.

Our proposals focus to the purpose of improving and develop the Balkan and Black Sea area to a combined transport center of European interest in order to enter to the markets of Russia and the Eastern Black Sea and Caspian countries.

For this purpose we mainly focus to water transport (sea and river transportation), through the exploitation and improvement of ports in the North Aegean, the Western Black Sea and Danube area.

The traffic in the narrow strait of Dardanelles and Bosporus and the environmental degradation of marine environment lead us to look for alternative corridors. We can succeed in that by the creation of land connections (railway and road) among the EU interest ports.

Our Specific Proposals for the CORE NETWORK

PORTS

The Balkan and Black Sea Commission proposes to include the following ports in the Core Network additionally:

• Kavala (Nea Karvali, EMTH), because it’s connection with the important core corridor EGNATIA HIGHWAY, it can become a very important port for the wider Balkan area as an alternative to the traffic in the narrow strait Dardanelles and Bosporus. Is a port of a great potentiality and it is not at risk of illuviation.

• Astakos (Western Greece), because it is a big and safe port of huge potentiality in the Ionian Sea, very close to road corridor and with existing important port infrastructures.

RAILWAY CORRIDORS

The Balkan and Black Sea Commission proposes to include the following railways in the Core Network additionally:

• A link Komotini – Dimitrovgrand as a part to be planned (30km length only). We mention that between Podkova and Dimitrovgrand there is an existing conventional railway. The link will provide the connection of the North Aegean Ports with the Danube and Black Sea ports, and the Balkan inland.

• The railway link Alexandroupoli – in no occasion can be concerned as completed. It has to become upgraded.

• The high - speed link Thessaloniki – Kavala – Toxotes, from planned comprehensive to core planned, because it connects the North Greece (Thessaloniki, Kavala) directly with .

• The core line Toxotes – Alexandroupoli – Pitheio, is a conventional railway which has from completed to be upgraded and high – speed.

• The line Thessaloniki – Eidomeni (amendment in the map appears as Thessaloniki – Evzonoi and is a high – speed and not conventional line)

• The existing link Plati – Florina – Bitola, which appears as core completed in the map is nowadays totally useless and out of service so we propose to be included as core planned and as a completed new project, in order to connect the core port of the Thessaloniki with FYROM and Albania.

In this point I would like to say that all the above mentioned corridors are of international interest and are high importance for five Balkan countries.

• The total length of railway corridor – Varna to be in the core network as upgraded

• The railway corridor – Scumen, to be upgraded – and from the comprehensive to the core network

• The new line Marasesti – Vama Albita – Chisinau to be included in the core network as planned

The above proposals which are about railway corridors in and Romania, serve EU Ports in the Black Sea.

• The planned link Trieste – Kopar – Rijeka

As you probably now, north Adriatic ports are connected in NAPA (North Adriatic Port Association) so our opinion is that Port of Rijeka must be port in rang with port of Kopar and Trieste .

One of mains objectives for establishment NAPA Association was to made good alternative to north European ports and to spread transport service. So our suggestion is that it is necessary to develop good transport connection between NAPA ports (especially rail connection). That is possible if we plan adequate railways form Trieste and Kopar to Rijeka (earlier proposed like branch of Corridor Vb1).

ROAD CORRIDORS

The Balkan and Black Sea Commission proposes to include the following road corridors in the Core Network additionally:

• The vertical road axis Komotini – , because it is the most important development instrument in the Eastern Balkan area. This is the main vertical road axis of North Aegean, to the Danube area, the branches of Corridor 4 and the Balkan inland. The continuation of this corridor is the existing core corridor to be upgraded, Haskovo – Rousse. In this way we could have the connection of the Mediterranean Ports (Kavala and Alexandoupolis), with a Danube Port (Rousse) – only 450km.

• The road Marasesti – Vama Albita, because is the main connection from Bucharest to Chisinau – Odessa. And from Odessa there are existing combined transport infrastructures, with connection to the countries of Eastern Black Sea and Caspian Sea.

• The part (border TR-BG) Burgaz – Varna. The corridor connects the European part of Turkey with the Western Black Sea Ports.

• The link – Harmanli as a part, to be upgraded because it is partially finished and not completed as the map indicates.

• The corridor Thessaloniki – Promachonas, has to be upgraded because needed to be improved as part of Corridor 4.

• To be planned a corridor Lamia – Grevena (GR), in order to connect Athens with the Core Port of Igoumenitsa and afterwards with Italy and also with Albania and Corridor VIII (Tirana – Durres-Vlore)

COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK

Our Specific Proposals for the Comprehensive Network

PORTS

The Balkan and Black Sea Commission proposes to include the following ports in the Comprehensive Network additionally:

• Mangalia (RO), because it can defuse the traffic of the Constanta port.

• Alexandroupolis (GR), because it is a big port with combined transportations.

• Korinthos (GR), because it is an important port with combined transportations.

• Itea (GR), because is a node of aluminum loading and it can serve the cruise boats (Delphi). • Volos, very important port in a strategic position and with great carrying capacity.

• From the South Aegean the ports of the island of Kos, Karpathos, Kalimnos and Kastelorizo to be included in the network. Karpathos is situated between Rhodes and Crete, Kos has connection to Turkey, Kalimnos connects the islands of North Aegean, while all three ports have a high touristic flow. Regarding Kastelorizo, it is the easternmost Greek island that is situated 170 miles south east of Cyprus.

• From Turkey the ports of Tekirdag, Sinop and Izmir.

RAILWAYS

A line Korinthos – Kalamata to be planned.

The line Inoi – Chalkida to be upgraded (high speed).

ROADS

Xanthi – Plovdiv, to be upgraded

Gotse Deltsev – – Pazartzik, to be upgraded