Outgoing Regional Minister Says Situation on National Road Network Is Normal

Konstantin Karagyozov, BTA Correspondent Stanimir Savov

Оutgoing Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov speaks to reporters in Shumen, January 9, 2026 (BTA Photo/Antoniy Dimov)

Shumen, Northeastern Bulgaria,

09.01.2026 13:41

(BTA)

The situation on Bulgaria’s national road network is normal, outgoing Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Ivanov told journalists in Shumen on Friday, where he attended the opening of a new indoor swimming complex. According to him, the situation has been stable since Thursday. Road maintenance companies are operating at maximum capacity. “As of 11:00 a.m., we have around 485 machines available,” Ivanov said.

“Yesterday (ed. Thursday) we also held operational meetings and talks with the regional road administrations and the management of the Road Infrastructure Agency, as snowfall is also expected tomorrow in many parts of the country, to avoid situations where roads might have to be closed. […] I believe we have ensured everything necessary so that there will be no problems on the national road network under these winter conditions,” Ivanov explained.

Asked about the completion of the Hemus Motorway, Ivanov said that he believed the efforts made by him as minister, by the government, and by the ministry’s team to make the process irreversible were yielding results. He said that before the New Year he had managed to sign two construction permits for two lots of the motorway, and that it seemed likely that additional construction permits could be issued before a caretaker government is appointed, which would indeed make the process irreversible and prevent work from being halted. He stressed that for Northern Bulgaria this is the most important infrastructure project and the key to achieving normal economic development and connectivity for residents of that part of the country.

“I signed construction permits for Lot 4 and Lot 5 of the Hemus Motorway, and I believe that within this month the documents for Lot 9 will also be ready so that a construction permit can be issued,” Ivanov added.

/RY/