After the election victory of "Progressive Bulgaria", architect Ivan Shishkov stated on the air of "Crossroads" that the main priority of the new government will be the fight against corruption and the restoration of statehood.
„Now is the time to thank all the people who came out to vote and supported "Progressive Bulgaria". The people demanded change and we hope that the shortcomings in the governance of Bulgaria will remain in the past," he emphasized.
Shishkov recalled that he had been a minister twice in caretaker governments appointed by Rumen Radev. According to him, it was these cabinets, formed at the discretion of the head of state, that gave a real idea of what a government could look like.
„In these cabinets, the disclosure of abuses in the road sector began. Even then, we raised the alarm about problems with contracts for current repairs - illegal construction, inflated prices and payments that should not have been made“, he pointed out.
According to Shishkov, the topic of corruption in the infrastructure sector was raised by him and his team. „We opened this conversation first - about shedding light on the sector. We were uncompromising then, and we will be now“, he said.
He emphasized that the first step of the new government will be to stop the leakage of public funds. “The easiest and first thing is to stop the thefts“, said Shishkov, adding that the long-delayed judicial reform also remains key.
The architect proposed specific solutions for the development of the road infrastructure, including granting a part of the highways a concession. “This way, no funds from the state budget will be spent and corruption practices will be limited“, he explained.
According to him, the design of key road sites will take about two years - a period that he described as realistic, given the delays in recent years. Shishkov pointed out that the “Hemus” highway remains a symbol of the problems in the sector. “There are lots that still do not have a project. This is the highway that fell into the path of corruption“, he commented. At the same time, he assured that the sections with advanced design will be built as a priority.
Among the other goals of the future administration are the completion of the Sofia Ring Road and improving access to Vitosha. “We will do everything possible to make Vitosha accessible again and have new facilities“, said Shishkov. He specified that the development of a new management plan for the mountain could take between one and two years, and the necessary legislative changes - only a few months.
In conclusion, Shishkov emphasized that in addition to specific policies, the country also needs a new approach to governance. “We need confidence and morality in politics“, he said.