The official correspondence between the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and the Agency, and in particular the letter from Minister Arch. Ivan Shishkov to Eng. Alexander Todorov, categorically reveals the deep conflict, the complete lack of coordination and the total collapse in the management of the road sector.
This is stated in a statement by the Institute for Road Safety sent to the media. Here is more from the Institute's statement:
The official document fully confirms the conflict between the Minister and the RIA Board, bringing to the surface an institutional impasse, in which the MRDPW directly accuses RIA of implementing a systematic vicious practice of assuming “hidden“ obligations above the approved annual budget for Current Repair and Maintenance (TRM). While RIA is requesting urgent approval of assignments for tens of millions of euros (including over 28.7 million euros for urgent and urgent activities), the Ministry states that the capabilities of the state budget have been completely exhausted and the obligations cannot be compensated for with additional subsidies.
The peak of this managerial absurdity is evident in the Minister's official instructions regarding the critical road section of the I-1 road for daily reversing traffic and securing. In his letter, he literally forces the RIA to review its budget and finance the management of this critical situation at the expense of funds under the "Personnel" indicator - i.e. from the salaries of its own employees! This is an unprecedented precedent, in which emergency repairs and road safety are transferred at the expense of the agency's remuneration.
In addition, instead of providing the necessary resources for real repairs, the MRDPW orders the closure of roads, the installation of restriction signs and the redirection of traffic, while simultaneously scaring RIA employees with personal property and criminal liability. All this paralyzes the work of the road departments and directly threatens the safety of traffic and the lives of citizens.
Due to this total lack of professionalism, financial impasse and the fact that repairs are being covered by salaries, the Road Safety Institute insists on the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Radev.
The documents presented categorically confirm that the RIA is in a state of complete blockage and financial impasse. The conflict between the Minister and the Chairman of the RIA Board of Directors directly threatens the safety of traffic and the lives of Bulgarian citizens.