Road Repairs In Bulgaria - Who WIll Pay?

Having just driven 240 kilometres yesterday on Bulgarian roads it is clear that these repairs can’t come into play too soon, especially for the tourist season that is fast approaching. Paid for by European Investment Bank loans of course means that it will have to be paid back, with interest one presumes – How will this be paid back? What happens with the road become in disrepair again after the extreme heat and cold of summer and winter respectively? Will more loans be needede?

Bulgaria's National Road Infrastructure Agency said that it started repair works on more than 50 road sections on June 11. Repair work will focus at the beginning on 450km of roads along the seafront and mountain resorts, as part of the Bulgaria – Transit Roads V programme.

That includes stretches of the road from Obzor to Slunchev Briag and Bourgas, the road from Bourgas to Sozopol, and on the Mirolyubivo-Kableshkovo-Aheloi section.

Meanwhile, in the municipality of Dobrich more 160km of roads are being upgraded. Major works are conducted around the town of Kavarna, with two sections, Kavarna – Preselentzi and Kavarna – Dourankoulak under construction.

NRIA said that despite rehabilitation works, the mountain pass Troyan-Kurnare was operational, whereas the Hainboaz pass would be serviceable from June 30.

Bulgaria – Transit Roads V is the fifth programme to upgrade roads designated as second- and third-class, started in 2007.

The programme's total cost is about 705 million euro, of which 380 million euro were borrowed from the European Investment Bank. The project encompasses the rehabilitation of 1517km of roads and the construction of 18km of new roads. The programme has to be completed by December 2010.

Source: http://www.sofiaecho.com/