The absence of a Bucharest-Sofia motorway was the subject of severe criticism by Türkiye’s ambassador to Romania Özgür Kıvanç Altan. During an event organized by the Romanian army, the Turkish diplomat stated that it is inadmissible for the country not to have express roads along the routes Bucharest-Istanbul or Bucharest–Sofia, Digi24 reports, as quoted by the Bulgarian news agency BTA.

“Why don’t we have a Bucharest-Istanbul motorway? It is unbelievable that we don’t. That’s 600 kms. and it is a 10 hours’ drive! It is inadmissible. We need to bring that down to 5 hours,” Ambassador Altan said. “Bucharest-Sofia. Why don’t we have a motorway? We need to meet and really get down to work on these projects. And when we have them we need to extend them over the entire region of the Black Sea,” Ambassador Altan said.

There has been a motorway between Sofia and Istanbul since 2015, Digi24 writes.