Rusinova: The state refuses to repair the dangerous road near Vladaya

The death of an employee of “Automagistrali“ in an accident on the “Trakia“ motorway near Vakarel once again raised the question of the condition of the road surface and the maintenance of the dangerous sections. Diana Rusinova from the European Center for Transport Policies stated that the state refuses to repair critical sections, among which she pointed out the Vladaya region.

The serious accident occurred on October 13 in the direction of Sofia, at the 27th kilometer of “Trakia“. According to BTA, an employee of “Automagistrali“ died and another was seriously injured. The workers were securing the site of an earlier accident when a car crashed into the team. These are the confirmed data for the accident near Vakarel, not near Vladaya.

According to information cited by bTV, the first accident occurred on wet pavement and likely aquaplaning. Rusinova claims that the second car then lost traction, with a total of four accidents occurring in the area.

„We repeatedly insisted on urgent repairs. We repeatedly warned about the risk posed by the condition of the pavement, especially in the rain. Nothing was done. Today we are already talking about a person who died“, Rusinova said.

The area near Vladaya is separate from the accident

Vladaya is not the site of the fatal accident involving the worker. Rusinova identified it as a separate critical area, where the worn and polished asphalt, according to her, creates a serious risk in wet weather. She insisted that the repairs and restoration of the road markings be carried out before the cold weather sets in.

„When you have to stop in the wet, the chance of getting hit even at 20 km per hour is huge. The asphalt there must be replaced immediately“, Rusinova told bTV.

Official data shows that repair and control activities have been carried out in the area. In September 2025, the „Road Infrastructure“ Agency announced the completion of preventive repairs of nearly 5 km of road I-1 between Vladaya station and the „Daskalovo“ road junction, including resurfacing at a landslide section. On September 8, 2026, traffic between the „Vladaya“ checkpoint and Vladaya station was restricted for a road safety inspection.

These data do not confirm the claim of an official cessation of all repair work at Vladaya. However, they show that the section remains subject to inspections and public disputes due to safety on wet pavement. After the death of the “Automagistrali“ employee, Rusinova again called on the authorities to direct funds to the most risky roads.

Sources: fakti.bg, btvnovinite.bg, bta.bg