Road Safety Institute challenges Struma Motorway contract costs

The Road Safety Institute (IPB) is calling for an immediate halt and review of a contract to construct a 2.7-kilometer section of the Struma Motorway near Simitli, Bulgaria. The institute has raised serious concerns regarding corruption risks, price scaling, and the circumvention of competition.

The contract, signed on October 6, 2026, is valued at approximately 107.9 million euros including VAT. According to the IPB, this results in a cost of nearly 40 million euros per kilometer, which they describe as an absolute record and an 'economic absurdity.' This rate exceeds the costs of even the most complex mountain sections previously planned in Bulgaria, such as the Veliko Tarnovo – Byala motorway.

The IPB further alleges that the procurement process used a negotiation procedure without prior notice with a single invited participant, thereby limiting actual competition. The institute has formally requested investigations from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Road Infrastructure Agency, the National Audit Office, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the European Public Prosecutor's Office.