Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria’s caretaker cabinet is expected to provide over EUR 100 million in direct and indirect support to the transport sector, in response to rising fuel prices resulting from the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The subsidy is intended to meet the sector’s needs over the next three months, starting in April. The meetings with representatives of freight and passenger transport will continue, and depending on developments, the government is ready to introduce additional measures, said Deputy Finance Minister Stanimir Mihaylov.
The Cabinet’s second meeting with transport industry representatives was hosted by Transport Minister Korman Ismailov on Tuesday. Also attending were Economy and Industry Minister Irina Shtonova, along with other industry representatives.
Of the total support package exceeding EUR 100 million, the largest portion is direct state aid, for which the government sent a notification to the European Commission on Monday, said Mihaylov. Another part of the support will come from foregone revenue due to the postponed increase in toll charges for transport companies from April. A third portion will be targeted funds, which the Council of Ministers is expected to approve at its meeting on Wednesday. The Finance Ministry will aim for equal treatment across sectors, meaning that aid directed to one sector should not disadvantage others.
Irina Shtonova provided further details on measures to support the sector, saying that, together with the Bulgarian Export Insurance Agency, the Economy and Industry Ministry has developed three instruments to address liquidity concerns. Transport companies participating in the programme will pay only interest on leasing agreements until the end of 2026, without repaying principal. Small and medium-sized enterprises will gain easier access to bank financing through state-backed guarantees that reduce required co-financing by up to 50%. Large transport firms will receive support to insure their working capital loans.
Transport Minister Korman Ismailov said that Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, accompanied by a crisis task force session, will address the priorities, issues and expectations of the transport sector. The Cabinet is expected to approve an additional EUR 18 million for 2026 to fund other targeted municipal outlays, including subsidies for intercity bus routes. Ismailov also said that a EUR 2.5 million increase will support school transport.
The Transport and Communications Ministry will implement measures to reduce administrative burdens affecting daily operations. The Executive Agency Road Transport Administration will tighten control over unregulated transport, and together with the Border Police, passenger transport will be monitored in the run-up to elections.
Magdalena Miltenova, Chair of the Confederation of Bus Carriers in Bulgaria, said tourist travel and worker transport are not covered by the support measures. She suggested that resources could be redirected through operational programmes. Talking about the subsidies, she said they are intended to prevent increases in transport service prices: “As long as these funds cover the carriers’ costs, prices will not rise.” She confirmed that, at this stage, there are no plans for protests.
Angel Trakov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Union of International Hauliers, described the meeting as productive but overdue, noting that measures should be implemented as soon as possible to ease sector concerns. In his view, fuel price increases are unlikely to be short-lived. Government to Provide over EUR 100 Mln in Support for Transport Sector amid Rising Fuel Prices 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-04-07 17:40:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law