Minister Nankov: The "Struma” highway must be completed entirely by 2023

The national programme for energy efficiency of multi-family residential buildings is not stopping

By 2023, the “Struma” highway must be completed in full, together with the 18 km section through the Kresna gorge. The most optimal variant from an economic, ecological point of view, and most importantly, from the point of view of road safety and security of passage, is the semi-Eastern route variant. Traffic in the direction of Kulata – Thessaloniki will pass through the gorge, and in the opposite direction – toward Sofia – it will pass to the East of the gorge. This was the comment by the Minister of regional development and public works Nikolay Nankov in the show “This morning” on BTV.

He also commented a part of the other options for the highway's construction in the section of the Kresna gorge. The two options associated with the construction of the highway within the gorge are least technologically sustainable, said the minister, and explained that the project for the construction of a long tunnel is least reliable from an ecological, financial point of view, time frames, and safety, because the Kresna region is Bulgaria's most seismically unreliable. For this reason, such option has not been reviewed when presenting the projects in Brussels.

In the option determined as most suitable, the longest tunnel will be approx. 1 km, and plans have been made for bridge constructions. Innovative approaches will be applied in the construction of the route to the East of the gorge; a by-pass around Kresna will be constructed, 5 road junctions with two connections between the two sections, and road junctions to all towns along the gorge will be constructed. The project envisages the construction of two economic zones in the land of Kresna municipality and two in the Northern part of the route on the territory of Simitli municipality, with an opportunity for trade and recreation. Thanks to the road junctions and the connections between the two routes, transfer from one route to the other will be ensured, as well as the access of owners to agricultural land, explained Nikolay Nankov.

The “Struma” highway is being constructed at a fast pace. The 25-kilometer stretch up to Sandanski will be commissioned by the end of 2018, added the regional minister, explaining that the final deadline is the month of May 2019.

The majority of ecological organizations have not expressed concerns regarding the actions of “Road infrastructure” agency, stressed minister Nankov. He added that the year 2023 is the realistic deadline for completion of the entire route of the highway.

We have made a commitment to complete construction of the “Hemus” highway by 2025. By the end of the year, procedures for expropriation of the stretch up to the road fork toward Teteven should be completed, so actual construction will start in 2018. A contract has been signed for the route, and it is being designed now, said also Nankov. The three sections of the 50 km route from the highway to the Pleven – Lovech fork are currently being designed as well. In 2018, actual construction of the three sections will be assigned. If the tender procedures are implemented without appealing, their construction can start as early as next year, he said.

At the end of October of this year, we will assign the technical design of “Hemus” highway up to Veliko Tarnovo, so as to be able to assign the construction of these three sections also in 2019, announced Minister Nankov. He expressed hope that the three sections of the stretch up to Veliko Tarnovo will be completed in the period 2021-2022.

Nankov noted also that the 16.2 km section of the highway from Belokopitovo up to Buhovtsi is in the process of appealing of public procurement for the selection of contractor. Design of the section will be assigned gradually in 2018. He noted that after changes in legislation, according to which appeals are made at one instance, the construction of infrastructure objects of national importance will be accelerated.

The regional Minister commented also on the construction of the toll system. The distance traveled by trucks will be reported with entirely digitized models and GPS systems. There will be an option to pre-pay a route and also for payment after traveling a given distance. Every truck will be detected using the 400 cameras already positioned, and with the purchase of another 600 cameras to guarantee full coverage of the republican road network included in the toll system, he explained.

Income will at least triple after introducing the toll system. Presently, we generate BGN 300 million per year. After its implementation, we expect income amounting to BGN 1-1.2 billion. Implementation of the toll system will pay off within three years from future income from it, clarified Nankov, adding that intentional blocking and delaying of its implementation has been observed for two years. A contractor is expected to be selected in early October, whereas the procedure may be appealed again, he explained.

With regard to the National programme for energy efficiency of multi-family residential buildings, Minister Nankov was adamant that it is not stopping. 2018 will be more dynamic, with even more scaffoldings and construction workers on residential buildings, he explained.

Speculations that insulation works are being terminated need to stop, because at least 1,000 buildings will be insulated in 2018, contracts for which were concluded with BDB in 2015-2016, stated the Minister. For three years, from 2015 till 2017, we are paying at BDB to municipalities, to contractors BGN 1.6 billion from the guaranteed programme resource of BGN 2 billion. 700 buildings have been commissioned, works are being done on 600, and construction works are about to start on another 700 buildings. Another BGN 1 billion is to be paid upon actual completion of works.

Upon the start of the programme in 2015, we introduced the principle "first come, first by right", reminded Nikolay Nankov. Those who did not yield to speculation have already concluded contracts with BDB within the provided resource of BGN 2 billion, and the buildings will be insulated.

It is the obligation of all owners to maintain the homes and buildings they occupy in a good condition, stressed Nankov.

With regard to the dangerous building "Pliska” 2 in Montana, the regional minister said that if a contract has been concluded with the municipality and the Bulgarian development bank, it will be insulated, and a check will be performed. If the building is in the list of 2,022 buildings with signed contracts with BDB, its insulation is guaranteed.

Minister Nankov commented on the subject of the appointment of a new director of the National construction control directorate. Milka Gecheva is a good expert and a professional. Every Minister has the right to select the team he or she will work with well and maintain a tranquil system, he said. Work needs to be precise. In a coalition government, we should be coordinating also with coalition partners on specific policies we are making, indicated Nankov. He denied any intervention by the Vice-prime Minister Valeri Simeonov in the appointment of arch. Ivan Nestorov as director of NCCD. Nankov added also that arch. Nestorov is a specialist with long-term experience and expressed his certainty that under his leadership NCCD will work well.