The Bulgaria Minister for Regional Development and Public Works, Rosen Plevneliev, has stated that the situation over winter road cleaning is critical in 9 regions of Bulgaria.

The 9 regions are part of 14 areas that no contract has been signed with companies regarding winter cleaning, Plevneliev said. He added that for the non-critical 5 a temporary contract has been signed.

In the nine critical areas, however, procurement contracts have been signed, but these decisions are being appealed by other companies before the Commission for Protection of Competition. 5 areas in the Plovdiv municipality are affected, 2 in the Sofia Municipality (Slivnitsa and Botevgrad) as well as Straldzha and Gabrovo.

Plevneliev stated that all regional offices of the Road Infrastructure Agency are working nonstop with the main road arteries in the country having been cleaned now continuously for 10 hours by more than 1000 machines.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, made another BGN 5 M of the total BGN 35 M budget for winter cleaning available to the Regional Development Ministry on Friday.

Sofia itself woke up Friday morning with a fresh snow cover reaching 8 cm and with continuing snow fall that brought traffic disruptions.