Snowfall, the likes of which have not been observed for years, has caused serious tests for the road infrastructure in the country. Despite preliminary forecasts and the readiness of the companies, some of them have not fulfilled their obligations, for which sanctions have been imposed. This was stated by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov on bTV. He gave an example of the Sunny Beach - Obzor section, where the fine is 5,000 leva per hour for failure to fulfill commitments.
„All companies were warned about the upcoming winter situation and for the most part they coped well, with minor exceptions. Personally, I am happy about this snowfall because it will help solve potential problems in the summer“, the minister commented.
Ivanov also touched on the topic of protests against Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone, emphasizing that the right to dissent and express an opinion is a democratic value. “I categorically support any form of peaceful protest, but when it comes to vandalism and violence, this should not be tolerated. The attack on institutions is a sign that the protesters themselves cannot be part of them“, he said regarding the demonstrations organized by the “Vazrazhdane“ party.
According to him, there is skepticism in society about the euro, which is due to the lack of an active information campaign. “Entering the eurozone is an issue that has been discussed for a long time. The Bulgarian Socialist Party has a clear decision in support of this process, but the big question is whether our country is prepared. If we are ready – we must take this step“, the minister added.
The regional minister also commented on the shortcomings in road control. According to him, there is a shortage of technical means such as mobile devices for printing out receipts and POS terminals, which creates difficulties in sanctioning violators. He also highlighted problems after our country's accession to Schengen, related to the lack of effective checks on entering foreign cars. “We also have cases of unscrupulous drivers and companies that purposefully avoid the toll system“, Minister Ivanov added.
Regarding the construction of highways, Ivanov said that he would not be a revolutionary and would follow the policies set by his predecessors. What he would do is monitor and control their implementation.