site.btaState Lost BGN 40 Mln from Shortfall in Asphalt for Trakia Motorway - Ministers of Interior, Public Works

Losses of BGN 40 million to the detriment of the state have been identified so far during joint inspections on Trakia Motorway by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and the Ministry of Interior, their respective caretaker ministers Ivan Shishkov and Ivan Demerdzhiev said during a joint press conference here Wednesday. The inspections were carried out on lot 2, between Stara Zagora and Nova Zagora, and lot 3, between Nova Zagora and Yambol.

"A shortfall in the amount of asphalt was found," Shishkov said. According to him, the warranty periods have expired, and now the state will have to repair these sections. Both of them became operational in 2012.

Shishkov stressed that for the time being, only a problem with the quantity was established. Results of the quality inspection are expected in ten days.

The Road Infrastructure Agency reported that on October 4 that the section between the Stara Zagora junction and the Yambol junction will be temporarily closed for an inspection and assessment of the condition of nearly 90 km of road.

Trakia Motorway is part of the Pan European Transport Corridor VIII. The total length of the project "Completion of Trakia Motorway lots 2, 3 and 4" is 115 km. The project is co-financed by the Cohesion Fund of the European Union and the State budget of the Republic of Bulgaria through the OP Transport 2007-2013. After the tendering procedures, the overall project value is BGN 524,478,899.88, of which BGN 513,970,279.58 was submitted as grant under OP Transport - 80% of that is from the Cohesion Fund of the European Union.