What urgent measures is the state taking because of the huge landslide in the Rhodope Mountains? It is of unusually huge dimensions, rather, such type of landslides would be difficult to prevent. This does not mean that we should turn a blind eye, there should be monitoring, studies and measures taken for all future landslides. This was commented on the air of BNT by the acting regional minister Nikolay Naydenov.
"The subsequent actions have already begun and I want to thank my colleagues from the Regional Road Administration - Smolyan, as we know there are no victims for this huge landslide and disaster, and this is due to the emergency measures that were taken from the very beginning to secure the road and stop traffic. From here, in the most ideal case, we have at least a month of studies - these studies are geological, hydrogeological, hydrological, we need monitoring, to see if this landslide has been calmed down through geophysical measurements. After that, we have at least 3 months of design, which will be based on these studies, from here it is already difficult to predict, including the design period and the execution of construction and installation works to strengthen the landslide and whether a road or bridge will be able to pass through there at all."
Currently, experts from the RIA and from the company "Geoprotection" at the MRDPW are on site and conducting an inspection.", commented Minister Naydenov. He added:
"There is an alternative section further up the slope, which is still being studied, I hope that there will be an opinion on the matter tomorrow, this is the most serious problem at the moment, because imagine if the connection between Burgas and Nessebar were severed, this road between Smolyan and Pamporovo is so important."
Naydenov emphasized that this is a landslide of enormous scale and rather sees things in a collective irresponsibility common in Bulgaria: "Naturally, now we all have to mobilize, there is a register of landslides, they are known, and the RIA knows about them. Some time ago, there was a scandalous order related to many millions, namely for strengthening landslides, but it was assigned at once and accordingly hundreds of millions of advances were distributed. All of this has disappeared, there are probably 5 controlled and strengthened landslides. Now the approach should be landslide by landslide, with priority being given to up to 5, but all efforts should be made in this direction."
According to the regional minister, these are the scandalous public procurements that are related to both the "Hemus" motorway and these landslides.