Bulgaria investigates road safety barrier procurement scandal

Bulgarian Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Arch. Ivan Shishkov, has announced in-depth investigations into the production and installation of road safety barriers (mantinelets). Shishkov characterized the situation as an ‘exceptional scandal,’ alleging that the primary goal of certain companies was the diversion of funds rather than ensuring public safety.

The Minister raised concerns regarding the quality and installation of these barriers, noting that while they hold certificates, they may not have undergone necessary crash tests. He suggested that a ‘common cap’ or centralized organization may have controlled the market, distributing contracts among seemingly independent firms. Shishkov did not rule out the possibility of political patronage behind this arrangement.

These suspicions emerged during the review of procurement for the Northern Tangent and the Hemus motorway. Shishkov defended the ministry’s previous decision to terminate a 1 billion lev procurement process for safety barriers, stating that continuing would have caused serious issues. To break the current market dependency, the ministry is now exploring the possibility of purchasing barriers from international suppliers to ensure quality and competition.