Minister Naydenov discussed the progress in the preparation of a Strategy for Development of the Road Sector in Bulgaria with representatives of the World Bank

The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Nikolay Naydenov discussed the progress in the preparation of a Strategy for the development of the road sector in Bulgaria with representatives of the World Bank. The document has a vision until 2030 and the aim is to improve the efficiency of the Road Infrastructure Agency. "We started working on the Strategy two years ago and it was a priority of the then government. I am glad that work on it has not stopped and there has been significant progress", said the regional minister during the meeting. "This is the best tool to develop the road sector in the country as it should, no matter who manages it, and the best protection of the road agency from political pressure in the wrong direction. Only in this way will the road experts be allowed to work planned, normal and predictable, which is a problem so far in the country", Naydenov further stressed. According to him, if there is such a Strategy, after 2 months, when he will no longer be a minister, but an ordinary citizen, he will continue to monitor whether RIA implements it or not, the Minister further explained.

The Strategy envisages the implementation of a number of reforms in the work of the Road Infrastructure Agency, a medium-term vision for increasing the efficiency of the road sector in Bulgaria, recommendations for improving the operation of the toll system, and the focus of the document will be to increase revenues from the use of the national road network and reduce costs, it became clear at the meeting.

During the conversation, the good cooperation between the MRDPW and the World Bank was also acknowledged in the field of water sector, regional development and integrated territorial investments.

The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the Management Board of RIA Eng. by Todor Anastasov.