The section of the “Trakia” motorway where the tragic incident occurred had not been treated in advance, and no inspection had been carried out. This was stated by former regional development minister and GERB MP Nikolay Nankov on bTV’s “Face to Face” programme.
“The road had not been treated, no inspection had been carried out, and there was information in the Situation Centre,” Nankov said. According to him, three days before the incident, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology had notified the Situation Centre at the Road Infrastructure Agency that fog was expected. There had also been a warning in the bulletin for the following day.
Nankov pointed out that in the early hours the temperature had been below 3 degrees, while the asphalt surface had been excessively wet. In his view, the section should have been treated against icing, known as “black ice”, and secured with road signs and illuminated signs. He said that two Interior Ministry patrol cars should have been present at both ends of the motorway.
Dispute over the repair of the section
The former regional development minister also commented on the condition of the road surface. He said that the asphalt had been laid in 2022, but that the work carried out at the time had not been preventive repair, but machine patching. According to him, part of the repair had been patched again in September 2025.
His statement was made in response to claims by Minister Ivan Shishkov that the asphalt was in good condition. Nankov said that regardless of the condition of the road surface, the treatment of the road and the response to the weather conditions had been decisive.
Electronic information boards remain unbuilt
Nankov also criticised the unfinished system of electronic information boards along the “Trakia” motorway. According to him, funding had been secured in 2017, and following a series of appeals, a contract had been signed in 2020 with a completion deadline in 2022.
He pointed out that the contract had been terminated by mutual consent on 21 April 2022. According to Nankov, the contractor had been asked to carry out additional activities for which there had been no grounds.
Sources: novini.bg