site.btaRegional Development Minister Tells MPs Roads Can No Longer Be Maintained, Seeks Legislature's Help

Roads in Bulgaria that are already in tragic disrepair can no longer be maintained and repaired, Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development Minister Grozdan Karadzhov told MPs and asked Parliament for cooperation in order to resolve the issue. On Thursday, MPs had to vote a resolution which will allow the Road Infrastructure Agency to go ahead with road repairs, but the decision was put off for Friday due to the lack of reports by the involved parliamentary committees.

The Minister told MPs that the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) can no longer contract activities for maintenance of the national road network and replacement of traffic barriers, traffic signs and safety nets. If the leadership of the Agency contracts new activities, it will face the a dilemma whether to observe the law or violate it deliberately with all consequences, added Karadzhov.

He asked Parliament to allow the Agency to continue to maintain and repair the national road network under the existing contracts until new contractors are selected under the ongoing procedures. He said that this will allow for the completion of 278 unfinished projects, motorway sections, bridges, tunnels and will cover some of outstanding payments to road construction companies. This will calm down social tension, caused by the large-scale layoffs and the ensuing protests by workers in the road construction sector, said Karadzhov.

Why There Are Problems with Road Repairs

The existing contracts for road maintenance were terminated under the caretaker government of Stefan Yanev with the explanation that most exceeded many times the estimated costs. This became possible when major road repairs were designated as maintenance without any documentation and supervision and this made the repair works illegal. The caretaker government promised to check every project but no results have been made public.

Now new procedures are expected to be opened for road repairs but before that some 1 billion leva have to be paid out under the old contracts.