Minister Andrey Tsekov: We are building 5 highways, the resolution of the legal case with the indexation of Hemus within a month will unblock the construction

"By the end of the month, in December at the latest, the legal case with the price indexation for the construction of the Hemus highway is expected to be resolved."

This was stated by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Andrey Tsekov in the program "Wake Up" on Nova TV. He was adamant that the main problem of "Hemus" was the way in which the construction was awarded - without observing the rules of the Law on Public Procurement. Therefore, there was no work on this site for a long time.

"Resolving the legal case will give the construction companies the opportunity to start working at the pace set out in the schedules," added the minister

"The truth is that in our country we are simultaneously building 5 highways, which is not normal for a country. The budget is a framework that gives ministers the flexibility to invest money where there is project readiness. There is BGN 2.5 billion in the API budget, and I am sure that the moment the legal case with price indexation under Hemus contracts is resolved, construction will be activated. This will be done by the end of the year," he emphasized and added that the construction of these highways is very important for our country in order to have regional connectivity with neighboring countries.

In addition to the Hemus highway, the Europa, Struma, Ruse-Veliko Tarnovo highways, and the Vidin-Botevgrad expressway are also under construction.

The good news is that Lot 1 of the Hemus Highway could be completed within the next year. If the contracts are indexed, lot 3 can be completed next year, and lot 2 - to advance two-thirds. According to the latest estimates, the autobahn can reach Veliko Tarnovo around 2027, but for the 7th and 8th sections, the route needs to be changed, it became clear from the minister's words.

The two lots of the Vidin - Botevgrad expressway between Mezdra and Botevgrad should be ready by the end of 2025, and the road should be opened to traffic at the end of this year, but work on the construction of the bridge facilities will continue.

"Construction always creates discomfort for the people living around the construction site and it is not normal for blasting to cause damage", Andrey Tsekov commented on the tension created after the controlled blasting near the village of Rebarkovo, where construction work is underway on the modernization of the Mezdra - Lyutidol route. According to him, in this case it is clearly a question of non-compliance with the technologies for working with explosives. However, it is clear from the inspection carried out by the API that all requirements have been formally met.

"It is not normal for controlled blasting to cause damage. Obviously, the project was incorrect, the control was insufficient, measures must be taken by the supervisory authorities so that it does not happen again," Tsekov also stated.

The regional minister specified that the current project for the completion of the "Struma" highway is for a route along the eastern slope of the Kresna gorge. He recalled that the government's management program states that the decision to have one lane of the highway pass through the gorge is unsuccessful, and options are being sought to move it outside the gorge.

"This will definitely not delay anything", assured the minister and added that at the moment the construction has been commissioned only on the route through the eastern slope. The contract for the completion of the section is until 2027. The other route – through the Kresna gorge, should not be built, Andrey Tsekov is categorical. It may be temporary until a route is built out of the gorge.

The regional minister also announced the results of the inspections that continued in October on another 14 road sections within the warranty period. Profiler and drill core tests started in September. In October, nearly 242 km were explored. 129 borehole samples were also taken. The results show that one section was found with collapse and subsidence of the asphalt, in 3 insufficient thickness of the asphalt, and in 7 bridges there were found structural defects. All contractors are invited to remedy their deficiencies.

"When control is inevitable and when they know they will be checked, they will not allow savings on asphalt," the minister was categorical. He added that the construction companies are already removing the inconsistencies found during the first stage of the inspection in September on other road sections within the warranty period.

"We have full mobilization for winter maintenance, contracts have been signed for winter maintenance of republican roads, 1,583 snow plows are ready to clean the snow throughout the country," Tsekov also announced.

He was adamant that the country's governance is stable and there is no sensationalism in the political situation of recent days.

"Governance is always at risk in any parliamentary republic, especially when it rests on majorities between parties that are political opponents on many issues."

According to Adrei Tsekov, the unifying priorities are much stronger than the temporary drags.