site.btaRegional Development Minister Tsekov: Roads Will Be Maintained in Winter

The state will not be left without winter maintenance, Regional Development Andrey Tsekov said on Nova TV, quoted by the press centre of the Regional Development Ministry. He added that in several regions there are still resources available for snow cleaning, while in others the budget is exhausted. "Back in August, we announced new tenders for the selection of road maintenance companies. Unfortunately, these tenders are being appealed against by the road companies. I think there is a political motive because it is not in the interest of business," Minister Tsekov said.

Tsekov explained that there have been no road maintenance contracts in the last year and a half. "We have contracts from the tenure of  the caretaker government only for winter maintenance and emergency repairs for different regions," Minister Tsekov said. He pointed out that for the last winter season BGN 140 million were paid for winter maintenance of the national road network under these contracts.

The Regional Development Minister recalled that in a report, the Public Financial Inspection Agency found serious violations of public procurement legislation in the award of road maintenance and repair works by the Road Infrastructure Agency.