The State Agency for Road Traffic Safety (SARTS) has paid over 5.4 million leva to external contractors in the period 2019-2025, shows an analysis by the Road Safety Institute. The data was obtained under the Access to Public Information Act.
According to the investigation, the funds were distributed among 20 contractors, with the largest recipient being the company “SSARM“ EOOD, which received about 2.6 million leva – almost half of the total amount. The remaining funds were paid to media groups, sociological agencies, IT companies, advertising studios and consultants.
The institute points out that the cost structure shows a strong dependence on external services, including software, analyses and communication campaigns. According to them, this raises the question of whether the agency fulfills its role as an expert body on road safety or mainly awards public contracts.
Questions also about the personnel policy
The analysis also raises questions about the agency's personnel policy. According to the Institute for Road Safety, a significant part of the employees and management staff come from the Ministry of Environment and Water.
As an example, the appointment of the new chairwoman of the agency, Marta Petrova, which took place by decision of Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov without a competition, is cited. According to the authors of the analysis, she has no education or practical experience in the field of traffic safety.
Criticism for lack of results
According to the institute, significant funds are directed to media campaigns and communication services, but the real effect on traffic safety remains limited.
At the same time, Bulgaria continues to be among the countries in the European Union with the highest mortality rate in road accidents.