The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings based on media reports detailing alleged abuses connected to the Road Infrastructure Agency and the provision of a free roadside assistance service. The investigation involves questioning witnesses and requesting documents from the agency, focusing on actions taken by individuals who are not direct employees of the Ministry of Interior. The allegations center on a scheme involving the unlawful subcontracting of essential road maintenance activities, purportedly resulting in the siphoning of at least BGN 14 million monthly.
It is alleged that since 2025, the Road Infrastructure Agency has illegally contracted the provision of 24/7 free roadside assistance for citizens to Unit Assist Ltd. This company, in turn, is accused of unlawfully subcontracting the service to at least 11 other businesses. The report further highlights that the company owner has a documented criminal background and claims that no state body has publicly informed citizens about this free roadside service, despite its inclusion in road maintenance contracts since at least 2014.
Sources cited in the report allege attempts to establish a monopoly favoring Unit Assist, alongside claims of pressure and extortion targeting victims of road traffic accidents. In a related development, caretaker Regional Development Minister Nikolay Naydenov stated that the state plans to withdraw from what he termed a non-core activity. He indicated that roadside assistance services would transition to competitive market forces, and the existing practice requiring stranded drivers to utilize a designated state-linked service would cease.
Topics: #road #free #roadside
The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has launched pre-trial proceedings following media reports detailing alleged mismanagement associated with the Road Infrastructure Agency’s free roadside assistance