The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has initiated pre-trial proceedings on its own initiative following media reports detailing potential misconduct involving the Road Infrastructure Agency and the provision of free roadside assistance services. The investigation involves questioning witnesses and requesting documents from the Road Infrastructure Agency, among other evidentiary collection measures. The focus of the inquiry, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, is on activities conducted by individuals who are not direct employees of the Ministry of Interior.
The reports allege that since 2025, the agency has allegedly subcontracted the provision of 24/7 free assistance for citizens to Unit Assist Ltd. This arrangement, reportedly expanded under pressure from national police, concerns a scheme suggesting the unlawful subcontracting of road maintenance activities, potentially diverting at least BGN 14 million per month (over EUR 7 million). The allegations further claim that Unit Assist Ltd.
has, in turn, unlawfully subcontracted this activity to at least eleven other businesses. The source material highlights the alleged criminal history of the company’s owner and notes that no state institution has publicly informed citizens about the existence of the free roadside assistance service, despite its consistent inclusion in road maintenance contracts since at least 2014. Furthermore, the reports mention claims of attempts by state institutions to impose a monopoly favoring Unit Assist, alongside alleged pressure and extortion against accident victims.
In a related development, caretaker Regional Development Minister Nikolay Naydenov stated on April 9 that the state intends to withdraw from what he termed a non-core activity, leaving roadside assistance services to competitive market forces, and that the current practice obligating drivers to use a designated state-linked service would cease.
Topics: #road #free #roadside
The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has launched pre-trial proceedings independently following media reports detailing potential misconduct related to the Road Infrastructure Agency’s provision of free