Tender conditions for road construction projects must be changed to ensure quality implementation, according to Bulgaria's Regional Development Minister Desislava Terzieva.

In an interview for Wednesday's morning broadcast of Nova TV, she argued that tenders had to be won "not by the company with the lowest bid but the company offering the best quality of implementation, efficient oversight, and a number of other things."

She assured that the Road Infrastructure Agency had discontinued the practice of accepting the lowest bid because it failed to guarantee the quality of implementation of the project and the prices specified in the bids usually increased substantially through annexes.

"We have decided firmly that the tender conditions must be changed. The best and the most favorable offer must be chosen, and it must contain not only the price but the term of implementation, quality, supervision, ongoing and follow-up control of construction works," the Minister explained.

Terzieva informed that she had appointed a committee tasked with sudden inspections at roads for which the warranty periods had not expired, adding that the contractors would have to remove any problems detected.

"The condition of roads in the country is a huge problem. Over 35% of them are in dire condition," she commented, adding that the rehabilitation of these roads would be a priority in her work.

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