site.btaHead of Road Infrastructure Maintenance Dismissed in Wake of Deadly Car Crash

Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov Wednesday announced the dismissal of Daniel Ivanichkov, Director of Road Infrastructure Maintenance at the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA). Earlier in the day, the Minister asked the chair of RIA's Managing Board to sack Ivanichkov, as well as the head of the Repair Works Unit of the Pleven Regional Road Authority.

The dismissal is based on the preliminary report from a check Ivanov had ordered over a car crash which killed a 12-year-old girl near Telish, Pleven Region, on March 31. So far, the check has identified issues in communication between the regional road administrations and the Agency's management, in the way road maintenance is assigned and carried out, and in the handling of alerts.

On April 2, Ivan Ivanov ordered the check on RIA and wanted the management of the Pleven Regional Road Authority suspended until the findings were out. These steps were taken because of the large number of accidents in the area of Telish.

The deadline for the check on RIA is seven work days.