The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings following media reports concerning alleged abuses involving the Road Infrastructure Agency and the free roadside assistance service. The investigation includes questioning witnesses and requesting documents from the Road Infrastructure Agency, alongside other evidence-gathering actions. The focus of the inquiry, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, is on individuals not employed by the Ministry of Interior.
The report suggests that in 2025, roadside assistance services managed by the agency were reportedly expanded under pressure from the national police. The core allegation centers on a scheme involving the unlawful subcontracting of road maintenance activities, purportedly resulting in the diversion of at least BGN 14 million monthly (over EUR 7 million). Specifically, the article claims that since 2025, the Road Infrastructure Agency allegedly subcontracted the provision of 24/7 free roadside assistance to Unit Assist Ltd.
This company, in turn, is accused of unlawfully subcontracting the service to at least eleven other businesses. The publication also noted the owner’s alleged criminal history and stated that no state institution had publicly informed citizens about the free roadside service, despite its consistent inclusion in road maintenance contracts since at least 2014. Furthermore, the report alleged attempts to establish a monopoly for Unit Assist, involving state institutional assistance, as well as pressure, threats, and extortion against accident victims.
Separately, on April 9, caretaker Regional Development Minister Nikolay Naydenov announced the state’s withdrawal from what he termed a non-core activity. He stated that roadside assistance services would be left to competitive market forces, and the current practice requiring stranded drivers to use a designated state-linked service would cease.
Topics: #road #free #roadside
