I am an expert in risk management. In order to choose what guardrail to install, it is necessary to conduct a risk assessment. Concrete fences are not a universal solution. Everywhere we work according to a methodology. This was stated by the director of the Road Safety Institute Bogdan Milchev in the program “Offensive” on Nova News. He commented on the increasing number of serious accidents in the country.
According to him, the key to safer roads is precisely risk management. “This is the eighth prime minister to whom it must be explained that solving this complex task starts with him. I will not give up - not because of the prime ministers, but because of those who are about to die. Risk management is an opportunity to prevent a large part of these victims,” said Milchev.
He also criticized the way in which funds are spent on road infrastructure. “This means that money, people and resources must be directed effectively with a specific result. When we asked for a justification for 90 million leva for guardrails, it turned out that there was no risk assessment”, the expert pointed out.
Milchev described the system as opaque and ineffective.
”Guardrails are the corruption Eldorado in road safety. Money is written out, they are not replaced everywhere, and then certificates are issued for the work done. We have over 7,000 kilometers of guardrails in the country,” he said. According to him, the problem is the lack of transparency in the awarding of public contracts. “Since Shishkov has been minister, not a single assignment has been uploaded. This means either that repairs are not being made, or that they are being hidden. Currently, there is no transparency in the work”, said Milchev.
The expert made accusations against the regional minister Ivan Shishkov.
“He was a minister for 10 months and did evil things. The contracts for road maintenance and for the guardrails were concluded on his last day as acting minister”, added the director of the Road Safety Institute.