site.bta"Not Much Point" in Debate, Regional Minister Says

Ivan Ivanov, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, addressed parliament during the debate on the second motion of no confidence against the Zhelyazkov Cabinet on Wednesday. “I don't see much point in this debate today, maybe the main goal is to bring about the government's collapse, because when there is a caretaker government, there is no road construction, no one bears responsibility,” Ivanov stated from the parliamentary rostrum.

Ivanov advised those who submitted the no-confidence motion to hand over to the investigative authorities any information about any misappropriation they might have.

In his words, the vote of no-confidence is a tool that must be respected by both the opposition and the government. “Answers are needed and must be given,” the Minister believes.

“I carefully read the reasons for the vote, especially the part about the Veliko Tarnovo-Byala road section. My conclusion is that there is ignorance about the procedure. It began in 2021, and the final report, prepared by the Road Infrastructure Agency, is from 2024. It proposes that such a procedure be assigned. Accordingly, it has been submitted to the Public Procurement Agency for an assessment of its legality.” Ivan Ivanov noted that after the procedure launched by the caretaker government, the Public Procurement Agency had no remarks about its legality. “The need for the construction [of this section of the road] is enormous,” the Minister said.

According to him, the opposition's allegations of violations in the financial parameters of the public procurement for the construction of the Veliko Tarnovo-Byala section are not true. The calculation that BGN 50 million per kilometer will be paid is not correct. According to the regional minister, the section between Byala and Veliko Tarnovo includes the construction of 12 viaducts, 8 road junctions with a total length of over 20 km, 12 flyovers and another 13 overbridges for agricultural purposes. The prices are similar to those from neighboring road sections currently under construction, he argued.