Bulgarian Minister Shishkov flags 200 mln lev overpayment on national road‑barrier contracts

Regional Development Minister Ivan Shishkov said contracts for road safety barriers ("mantineli") originally valued at about 300 million lev have already been paid out at roughly 500 million lev, creating an excess of nearly 200 million lev. He added that an additional 16 million lev has been spent on indexations.

Shishkov criticised the procurement process, noting that earlier contracts were split among several firms while the current arrangement would give a single company the entire national tender. He announced a verification to ensure the installed barriers meet certification requirements.

The minister also defended a planned 30 % hike in vignette (road‑toll) fees effective 1 August 2026, arguing that revenue from existing tolls and vignettes covers only half of the maintenance costs for the road network.

He mentioned ongoing work on sections of the Ruse‑Veliko Tarnovo highway, the Hemus motorway and the road to Vidin, and highlighted that new highway projects still need proper design before construction can begin. Shishkov also referenced illegal construction in Varna, stating that removal orders lie with local authorities.