The transport ministry signed two railroad projects for a total of EUR 201.4mn. The ministry has agreed with the Italian Astaldi on the second stage of the construction of rail lines and electrification of the road from the second largest city of Plovdiv, located in the southern part of the country, to the town of Svilengrad on the Turkish border. The contract is valued at EUR 162.5mn and should be completed in 39 months. The second agreement covers building signalling and telecommunications system by an Austrian-Romanian consortium (Talles Real Signalling Solutions and Alcatel Lucent Romania) in 37 months under the same project and will cost EUR 35.6mn. The third project for technical assistance on the reconstruction of the railroad between the capital of Sofia and the Danube city of Vidin is valued at EUR 3.35mn and should be completed in 2 years. The contractor is Iberica de Estudios e Ingenieria, S.A. (Iberinsa).