IPB asks who produces the new guardrails, how much they cost and whether they are of high quality and safe

We are currently witnessing a paradox with potentially costly consequences - in the field a large-scale replacement of protective barriers on the roads is underway, while in the offices a new Regulation on guardrails with completely new technical requirements has been being developed for 5 months. This is stated in the position of the Institute for Road Safety (IPB).

The non-governmental organization asks what will happen if the currently applied by "Automagistrali" EAD norms for replacing protective equipment currently directly contradict the new requirements in the prepared regulation, who will take responsibility and the financial bill.

The IPB also points out that the public needs to know who produces and supplies the guardrails, how much they cost, what quality they are and who guarantees their safety. The organization asks a number of specific questions to the regional minister Ivan Shishkov about the new guardrails:

Who are the manufacturers and suppliers of the guardrails purchased by "Automagistrali" EAD crash barriers? What are the technical characteristics of the purchased systems? What certificates of conformity do the crash barriers have? What test reports and crash test reports are available? What is the retention class of the respective systems? What is the type and chemical composition of the steel used? What is the thickness of the metal elements and their protective coating? What are the unit prices of the different types and classes of crash barriers purchased by "Automagistrali" EAD, separately for each type and class? How is it guaranteed that the crash barriers that are actually installed on the road are identical to those that have passed the relevant tests and certification? What procedures and controls are applied when accepting the delivered crash barriers and when performing the installation? What equipment was purchased by "Automagistrali" EAD to perform the installation and how was it acquired? Is there a schedule for replacing the damaged crash barriers and on which specific road sections their replacement is due?

"We insist that all of this be published immediately. "Not just general information, but documents, certificates, test reports, technical specifications, prices and specific sections where the replacement will be carried out," the Road Safety Institute stated.

The organization also points out that any doubt that one company is simply replacing another must be prevented, without changing the way the state manages and controls this process.