BSEC head pushes Black Sea ring road project for regional progress

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) plans to construct a motorway encircling the Black Sea, resurrect regular passenger ferries, and grant regional passes to truckers, BSEC Secretary-General Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos said yesterday. These projects will help to improve transportation, logistics, communications and energy usage, promote regional trade and communication, and link the European road network to that of Asia, he said. The Black Sea Ring Highway project aims to build 7,700 kilometers of highway through all BSEC countries in a ring around the sea with connections to urban centers in the region. Chrysanthopoulos said although Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria have finished most of the road, the other nine countries involved are lagging behind and need to step up their efforts.