The state-owned company "Automagistrali" was disqualified from competitions for the road maintenance of the republican road network because she failed to submit the required documents.
This is clear from the documents published in the API buyer's profile on the public procurements for road maintenance that were unfrozen after a series of lawsuits, reports “Now”. The procedures are of the official government of Galab Donev, and were terminated twice by the government of Nikolay Denkov. In the end, the Supreme Administrative Court finally canceled the termination decisions and the procedures returned to the starting position.
It is clear from published protocols of the procedures that “Motorways“ they did not provide the documents required by the competition commission for the order for road maintenance on the territory of Pernik and were disqualified. It is clear from the protocol that the company declared that it would use rented technical equipment, tools and facilities, without, however, presenting information about the third parties it intends to work with. This is not permissible.
A similar violation was committed in the offer for road maintenance in Smolyan. Here, the state-owned company cites a company unrelated to the order according to documents – “ISA 2000”. According to what is reflected in the documents, she would be relied upon for adjustments in the asphalt mixture. “Motorways“ was also removed from this order, it is clear from the minutes of the tender commission.
The disqualification of "Motorways" on this basis - dependence on third parties, is indicative against the background of the noisy scandals with the in-house construction contracts of AM "Hemus", in which the state company turned out to be a hollow hat for redistributing money to real contractors.
It is not yet clear how the “dealing of the cards” in another large order in which “Highways“ hopes to maintain positions – for the road maintenance of highway sections. It has a very high estimated value – nearly BGN 716 million, and the activities are divided into 6 separate positions for the maintenance of sections of “Struma“, “Thrace“, “Maritsa“ and “Hemus“.
The decision to terminate the order from 1 to 4 positions was finally canceled by the Supreme Court and the procedure will be unfrozen. There is no ruling by the court on items 5 and 6, but the API has decided to act boldly and cancel the decisions and for their termination with the argument that they suffer from the same vices that led to the cancellation of the other items. So orders will be resumed for these items as well.
The awarding of contracts will end a years-long road maintenance saga. The contracts awarded under Boyko Borissov's third cabinet turned out to be illegally over-contracted and eventually terminated, but for years the various governments failed to re-award the activities and there were annexations and many scandals. It will be interesting to follow how much the status quo will remain unchanged after the many vicissitudes and whether the companies chosen with great pains will turn out to be the same, experts comment.