'Hemus' Motorway Could Be Completed by 2030, Regional Development Minister Says

The Hemus motorway could be completed by 2030, Regional Development Minister Ivan Shishkov told Parliament on September 3. A row broke out in Parliament between Progressive Bulgaria and GERB over who was responsible for delays to the project. Other parties also joined the debate.

The government has set itself an ambitious construction programme, Shishkov told MPs.

Ivan Shishkov, Regional Development Minister: “We are currently seriously working on the design, including the tunnel under Petrokhan. We will design and build the entire motorway from Ruse to Makaza. The Black Sea motorway will also be built. This is the real connection between northern and southern Bulgaria and, of course, the motorway we are discussing today.”

He also announced specific deadlines for completing the Hemus motorway.

Ivan Shishkov, Regional Development Minister: “The Hemus motorway will be completed within two and a half to three years as far as Veliko Tarnovo. We will need another year and a half to design and build Lots 7 and 8. So the possibility of having the entire Hemus motorway completed by the end of 2030 is realistic, provided, of course, that we work very hard.”

Shishkov accused previous governments of delaying construction through in-house contracts, advance payments of almost BGN 2 billion and illegal construction of sections without designs or permits.

Ivan Shishkov, Minister of Regional Development: “The state has been put in a situation where unilaterally terminating the contracts would lead to a loss of funds, the bankruptcy of Avtomagistrali AD and a loss of time for the whole of northern Bulgaria. We will not allow that to happen!”

The facts presented by Minister Shishkov about the reasons for the delays to the Hemus motorway sparked tensions between Progressive Bulgaria and part of the opposition.

Nikolay Nankov, GERB-UDF: “Perhaps, perhaps people shouldn’t listen to what you are saying, architect Shishkov, because the situation is completely different. That’s what happened with the €1 million bonuses that you quietly handed out at the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works a month and a half ago, when you were telling the media that the budget was in tatters, but now, more than four months since you came to power, not a single crash barrier has been replaced, not a single concrete barrier has been installed. Everything is falling apart.”

The governing parties vowed to fully expose those responsible for the alleged diversion of funds through the construction of the Hemus motorway.

Photos: BTA

Anton Kutev, 'Progressive Bulgaria': “We are clearly talking about a gigantic criminal scheme. I believe this is an organised criminal group with political direction. I am absolutely convinced that some of the colleagues who are now smirking in the chamber will soon give up their immunity. And we will see this criminal scheme through to the end, where it belongs, and someone will end up behind bars for it. I assure you!”

Members of 'We Continue the Change' and Democratic Bulgaria expressed outrage that those responsible for the delays to the Hemus motorway were refusing to take political responsibility.

Yordan Terziyski, 'We Continue the Change': “We welcome all efforts to ensure that responsibility is taken for past actions involving illegal construction and the advance payments that were made.”

Chilo Popov, 'Democratic Bulgaria': “The forces of darkness have some very skilful lawyers and orators.”

Kosta Stoyanov, 'Vazrazhdane': “This hearing did not make it clear what will happen with all the contracts the deadlines of which have expired.”

Only the 'Movement for Rights and Freedoms' did not participate in the debate.