On Friday, 10 October 2025, the Subsidy Contract for the strategic project ‘Improvement of Mobility and Travel Safety in the CB Area’ (CrossBo2) was signed by Mr. Nikolaos Papathanasis, Alternate Minister of Economy and Finance of Greece.
The CrossBo2 project has a total budget of €22 million, with 80% (€17.6 million) co-financed by the European Union. Building on the previous CrossBo project (2014–2020), CrossBo2 aims to enhance cross-border connectivity, improve access to TEN-T routes, increase road safety, and facilitate access to the new Rudozem-Xanthi border crossing point. It will also complete the road axis “Xanthi –Rudozem-Smolyan-Plovdiv”, part of TEN-T (Comprehensive Network). The project will contribute to the Programme’s output Indicators by increasing the length of roads reconstructed or modernised – non-TEN-T by 5km.
The project falls under Priority 2 – A more accessible Greece-Bulgaria cross-border territory and addresses Specific Objective 3.2. – Developing and enhancing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility. The partnership includes the Road Infrastructure Agency (Bulgaria) as the Lead Beneficiary and Egnatia Odos SA (Greece). The project will run for a period of 36 months.
The project’s main activities include the following:
- Upgrade of 2.61km road section along Road II-86 Rudozem bypass
- Upgrade of 2.49km road section along Road I-5 Kardzhali-Makaza
- Technical design for Main Road Communication of the town of Smolyan
- Construction of the subsection of “Xanthi – Sminthi”
- Completion of the last 2,6km between Dimario and the Greek-Bulgarian border
The upgraded infrastructure will benefit residents of the cross-border area. Road users, authorities, maintenance companies, and local governments will experience direct improvements. Transit travellers, tourists, and businesses will experience safer, more efficient, and more comfortable travel. Local communities and authorities will benefit from the increased number of visitors to the region, which will lead to its overall development. In general, improving the transport infrastructure in the CB area contributes to promoting its sustainable development and cohesion, mitigating regional disparities, and providing equal opportunities for all.
The upgraded roads will remain valuable long after the project’s completion, laying the foundation for business investment and regional development. Continuous improvement of transport infrastructure is a key priority for sustainable development in both countries. Enhanced mobility will provide residents with better access to labour, markets, goods, and services, improving their quality of life. The project will support tourism, cultural ties, and agricultural trade in the cross-border area.