The money under the 4-year contracts for maintenance and current repairs, concluded between December 2023 and January 2025, has already almost run out. Of the planned 2.26 billion euros, 2.25 billion euros have been spent and allocated. This was explained this week by the acting Minister of Regional Development Nikolay Naydenov.
On this occasion, the former Chairman of the Management Board of RIA Yordan Valchev is a guest on the program “This Saturday and Sunday“ on bTV.
“The money has not been spent. The money has been assigned for tasks that must be completed within these 4 years,“ announced Valchev.
He explained the difference between the two: “Spent is something that has been completed and paid for. Assigned is something that we have assigned to be done.“
Valchev, who led the RIA from April 2024 to February 2026, denied being fired for financial irregularities. As a reason, he pointed to problems in communication with Angelina Boneva, who was briefly the acting Minister of Regional Development.
„The Minister did not give her phone number so that she could communicate with her“, he announced.
According to him, the inspection of the RIA contracts for maintenance and ongoing road repairs does not show any results at all that could be handed over somewhere.
Valchev hinted at doubts about future payments: „When we see what they pay, we will comment on it“. He hinted at the closeness between the companies and political circles.
Regarding the investigation into 7 million euros for roadside assistance, he admitted to a weakness in communication.
„I consider it a mistake that it should have been advertised, but many people took advantage. "The idea is to remove cars from the highway that obstruct traffic and pose a risk of accidents," said the former head of the RIA.