Bulgarian PM Claims to Be Doing Much Better with Highways than Predecessor

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov (front left) breaks the champagne bottle at the opening of construction on Lot 3 of Trakiya Highway Monday. Photo by BGNES.

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov answered criticism by leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Sergey Stanishev at the opening of construction on Lot 3 of the Trakiya Highway Monday.

“The difference between the fireman from Bankya [Borisov] and socialist minions [Stanishev] is BGN 1 B of Bulgarian taxpayer money saved,” said Borisov in his inimitable style, specifying that Stanishev's cabinet previewed BGN 1.1 B state money for the highway project, while his own government managed to spend just BGN 100 M, the other coming from the EU Operational Program on Transport.

When asked while construction on Lot 3 was delayed, Borisov explained that it was due to the importance of harvesting crops on agricultural lands lying on the route of the highway.

The Bulgarian PM moreover stated that there is an agreement with the contractor to catch up with the delay. The new deadline is even moved two months earlier than originally previewed and is now set at June 1, 2012.

Greek contractor Aktor promised to execute the work required in time and with top quality.

On his part, Minister of Regional Development Rosen Plevneliev stated that while previous cabinets managed to build just 11 km of highways per year, the GERB-led government pulls off a rate of 65 km per year.

Lot 3 is the part of Trakiya Highway connecting the southern Bulgarian towns of Nova Zagora and Yambol. Eventually Trakiya will connect capital Sofia to major Black Sea city of Burgas.

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