The Road Infrastructure Agency has given away 2,274,654 leva in additional remuneration for a “job well done” in 2024, the Road Safety Institute (IPB) reports. The NGO demands an accurate report on what this “job well done” means.
Here is what the IPB wrote in an open letter to the chairman of the RIA Management Board – Mr. Valchev:
Dear Mr. Valchev,
In 2024, you approved the payment of 2,274,654 leva in additional remuneration for yourself, the members of the Board of Directors and the directors of RIA – for “a job well done”.
Please indicate publicly what exactly was done well, given that:
• The republican road network in 2024 is in extremely poor condition – with missing markings, guardrails, signs and lighting;
• After the tragedy with Siyana, you yourself confirmed that RIA does not carry out repairs because “there were no maintenance contracts”;
• The lack of routine maintenance tasks and the refusal to publish them on the RIA website create complete opacity regarding who, when and how maintains the roads;
• Bulgaria remains among the countries with the most road fatalities in the EU, while signals about dangerous sections do not lead to action by the agency.
In this situation, distributing millions of leva in bonuses sounds like a mockery of society and road victims. We insist that you explain on what basis you are being rewarded while you are not fulfilling your basic duties.