Country Overviews
Introduction
In recent years, transport research in Bulgaria has been planned by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) in coordination with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW), the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) and the Ministry of Environment and Waters (MEW).
Transport research is managed by the "Scientific Development" directorate in MES and is carried out by a small number of state research institutes, and by private consulting and engineering companies, which are responsible for conducting feasibility studies in the transport sector.
Transport research in Bulgaria has faced major challenges, both organisational and financial, as a result of the political and economic upheaval taking place in the country since 1990. Education and scientific sectors in the universities have been reorganised, leading to the co-financing of transport research with MES being reduced to a minimum. Other reforms have resulted in state transport institutes being closed or converted into semi-private organisations.
There is no public budget specifically for transport research. Public funding for research programmes is very limited and is allocated by the four ministries and the two state agencies, the Road Executive Agency (REA) and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). The budget is expected to increase slowly over the next few years, with the help of research programmes developed in the ministries.
- The focus for research has been on the following key areas:
- transport data collection and basic transport demands (passenger and freight);
- transport modelling for all modes of transport (road, railways, maritime and river);
- development of transport infrastructure;
- influencing transport policy and management;
- safety and security systems.
National Government Departments
Ministry of Education and Science
Ministry of Transport and Communications
Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
Ministry of Environment and Water
Programme for the Management of Road Surfaces and Structures
Led by the Central Roads and Bridges Laboratory (CRBL), Sofia, and funded by the Road Executive Agency (Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works).
www.crbl-bg.net/default.htm
