The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings on its own initiative following media reports concerning alleged abuses within the Road Infrastructure Agency and the provision of free roadside assistance services. The investigation involves questioning witnesses and requesting documents from the Agency, focusing on actions taken by individuals not employed by the Ministry of Interior. The allegations center on a scheme involving the unlawful subcontracting of road maintenance activities, reportedly diverting sums totaling at least BGN 14 million monthly.
The report 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 a minimum of 11 other businesses. The publication also highlighted that the service, while reportedly included in road maintenance contracts since at least 2014, was not publicly disclosed to citizens.
Furthermore, allegations suggest attempts were made to impose a monopoly favoring Unit Assist, alongside claims of pressure on competitors and extortion against victims of road traffic accidents. In related developments, caretaker Regional Development Minister Nikolay Naydenov announced on April 9 that the state intends to withdraw from what he termed a non-core activity. He stated that roadside assistance services will be left to competitive market forces, and the current practice requiring drivers to use a designated state-linked service will be discontinued.
Topics: #road #free #roadside
