The second phase of the Balkans Digital Gateway is now a key focus for Vestitel, with plans including the development of a new submarine fibre-optic cable between Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as preparations for a future link to Odesa, Ukraine.
Vestitel Chief Executive Valentin Velichkov, speaking at an event in Athens for the Balkans Digital Gateway, said the second phase was one of the company’s key priorities, while the relevant application was under review by the European Commission.
The new submarine system is planned to connect Thessaloniki with Athens via Skiathos and Evia, creating a shorter data transmission route between Greece’s two largest cities.
At the project presentation, it was noted that the new route would be about 80% shorter than other competing routes, strengthening connectivity and data transmission capacity.
The second phase also includes the development of a new line between Ruse and Bucharest, with the aim of creating a north–south digital corridor linking Greece with Bulgaria and Romania and, at a later stage, Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic states and Northern Europe.
Plans for Odesa
Vestitel’s plans for a new link to Odesa are also of particular interest, despite the difficulties posed by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Asked about the next steps for the Balkans Digital Gateway, Valentin Velichkov said the company planned to begin planning and preliminary studies for the link, acknowledging that it was a complex undertaking involving significant risks.
He explained that, although the region remained a war zone, the necessary studies and initial preparations could go ahead.
“We need to be ready when the war ends, so that we can get there ahead of others and move forward with implementation,” he said, outlining the company’s long-term approach.
The third phase in the Black Sea
The third phase of the Balkans Digital Gateway is at the study stage. It concerns the development of a submarine link in the Black Sea between Bulgaria and Romania, with Constanta and Varna cited.
At the presentation, it was made clear that the cable cannot be developed under current conditions. Vestitel is nevertheless seeking to prepare for the project’s future implementation, with support from its partners and the European Commission.
The Balkans Digital Gateway
The Balkans Digital Gateway is a strategic project to develop modern telecommunications infrastructure in southeastern Europe. It is being implemented by Vestitel, with a total investment of €24 million. The aim is to create a high-speed, secure and reliable network linking Sofia, Athens, Skopje and Bucharest.
The project includes the construction of 600 kilometres of new telecommunications infrastructure along the Burgas/Aheloy–Alexandroupoli–Serres–Orestiada route, with the aim of linking the Black Sea with the Aegean.
It also includes upgrading 400 kilometres of existing infrastructure along the Sofia–Thessaloniki axis, with the aim of increasing the connection’s capacity and reliability.
The third component involves installing an advanced Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) data transmission system spanning a total of 5,600 kilometres, linking Bucharest, Sofia, Athens and Skopje, as well as coastal areas of the Black Sea and the Aegean.