site.btaRoad Construction Companies Block Roads Demanding Overdue Payments

Bulgarian road construction workers staged a nationwide protest Wednesday demanding payments due for works done. Road construction companies say they have had no works commissioned and no financing for a year now.

The industry is owed over 1.1 billion leva for services, including winter road clearance, rendered up by the end of 2021. Wednesday's protest was triggered by Parliament's refusal to vote on a draft resolution proposed by the Regional Development Ministry, which would have made it possible to start tackling the industry problems, Bulgarian Branch Chamber Roads (BBCR) Chairman Stefan Chaikov told BTA.

In October and November 2021, road maintenance and repair contracts were terminated by the then caretaker government over suspected misuse of funds.

Protesters gathered at 9 am in the National Assembly Square. Later on they headed for the Finance Ministry to pour a handful of coins, hoping that this would help to fill the holes in the budget for roads. The rally's next stop was the Council of Ministers.

Protesters also blocked the Haskovo-Dimitrovgrad, Ruse-Byala, Pernik-Sofia, Lovech-Troyan roads, and the entrance to Stara Zagora from Trakia Motorway, among others. Employees of Avtomagistrali - Tcherno More blocked roads near the Danube Bridge using a 150-metre Bulgarian flag.

The companies are ready to resume their protests until they are offered satisfactory solutions, Chaikov said as snowploughs and other vehicles drove off from Sofia's National Assembly Square to signify the end of Wednesday's protests.

Chaikov thanked the road construction workers and hauliers whose protests across the country testified to the state's negligence of road infrastructure and maintenance companies. He asked the MPs to do their constitutional duty and take care of the Bulgarian citizens, their well-being and the roads they travel on. "It is in your power to order the government to pay 100 per cent of its debts to the road construction industry for works completed last autumn," he said.

Possible solutions

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said on Tuesday the government is ready to pay 600 million leva promptly upon approval by Parliament. The other half of the outstanding payments will be released after thorough checks confirm that the companies have fulfilled their contractual obligations, he said.

One possible solution proposed by Regional Development Minister Grozdan Karadjov is for Parliament to allow the Road Infrastructure Agency to continue hiring companies using the current contracts in force.

The industry's stance

The BBCR and the Road Safety Bulgarian Branch Association issued a joint statement, claiming that the Bulgarian MPs' absurd treatment of the road construction industry is harming nearly 100,000 workers. The two organizations claimed that the road industry was held hostage to political squabbles - a situation which can pose a threat to the national security and lead to casualties.

The two organizations described the condition of the national roads as disastrous, and argued that the possible appointment of committees to probe the fulfilment of contracts would be disrespectful of the experts working in the road administration.