The contract to build a 2.7-kilometer stretch of the Struma Motorway near Simitli at a cost of nearly €108 million has sparked a political clash in Bulgaria over accountability, pricing, and inheritance of public works, segabg.com reported. The agreement, signed at a rate of roughly €40 million per kilometer, stands as the most expensive highway stretch in the country’s history.
Struma Motorway Contract Value Defended by Officials
Regional Minister Ivan Shishkov defended the project during an inspection of the Topli Dol tunnel on the Hemus Motorway, stating that the procurement process began in late 2025 under the administration of then-Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov and continued through the caretaker cabinet of Andrey Gyurov. Shishkov argued that the current government had no alternative because the construction company held a contract dating back to 2015.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev supported this position during the joint inspection, asserting that political opponents were attempting to shift blame for their own past decisions onto the current administration.
Additional Project History and Pricing Background
The Uphill battle for the infrastructure dates back further, with the first contract signed in 2015, followed by the approval of a detailed spatial plan and parcel plan in early December 2015 by order of then-Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Nikolay Nankov, which excluded the section falling within the regulatory boundaries of Simitli for a future junction. Subsequent project changes and environmental impact assessments led the State to initiate steps when the Uphill Council of the Road Infrastructure Agency (API) decided on September 25, 2025, to conduct market consultations to determine the estimated value for the design and construction of Struma Motorway Lot 3.1 in the section from km 373+300 to km 376+000, sending out invitations the following day. On November 4, 2025, the contractor submitted a letter regarding the approaching expiration of the contract deadline and the lack of a building permit for the section from km 373+300 to km 376+000, detailing factual circumstances and legal consequences in the event of a possible termination, including potential claims from the Contractor amounting to 85,700,000 leva without VAT. Additional amendments suspended the main contract terms before API’s management decided on November 19, 2025, to halt the main contracts and assign negotiated procedures while approving the estimated values. Under the Gyurov caretaker cabinet, the API leadership decided on April 23, 2026, to launch procedures for design, construction, and consulting services, leading to the publication on April 30, 2026, of an open procedure without prior publication for consulting services related to the design and construction of Struma Motorway Lot 3.1 in the section from km 373+300 to km 376+000, along with a negotiated procedure without publication for the design and construction of the same section near Simitli under the adopted Struma Motorway Lot 3.1 project. The proposed price for design and construction was set at €89,907,783.37 excluding VAT, or nearly €108 million including the tax, while consulting services were allocated €3,153,196 excluding VAT. Minister Shishkov explained that the procurement order encompassed two junctions initially omitted in 2015.
IPB experts questioned why authorities claimed powerlessness over a €40-million-per-kilometer highway contract while managing to cancel other high-value procedures on the final stretch.
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The institute revealed that during prior market consultations managed by the Road Infrastructure Agency (API), 13 companies expressed interest, but the procedure stalled due to a nearly twofold gap between the highest and lowest bids. The lowest offer came from international builder Strabag at roughly €90 million below the final contract value awarded to a consortium named DZZD AM Struma 3.1, according to segabg.com and News.bg.
Ministry Releases Project Documentation
Following public pressure from safety experts and media scrutiny, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works published the historical file, correspondence, and administrative orders concerning the Simitli section on its official website, segabg.com reported. The published documents confirm that efforts to construct this specific segment spanned more than a decade across multiple cabinets, though the records do not provide a detailed breakdown justifying the final per-kilometer construction cost.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Struma Motorway Project
What is the exact length and total cost of the Simitli motorway section?
The contract covers a 2.7-kilometer stretch of Struma Motorway Lot 3.1 with a total value of €107,889,340.04 including VAT, resulting in a unit cost of approximately €39.96 million per kilometer, according to segabg.com.
Which companies form the winning construction consortium?
The contract was awarded to DZZD AM Struma 3.1, an enterprise grouping six firms—Pazhlish Plovdiv Group, AB, Evropeyski Patishta, Groma Hold, Hydrostroy, and Alve Consult—some of which, such as Pazhlish Plovdiv Group, Evropeyski Patishta, and Groma Hold, are related parties according to the IPB, as detailed by segabg.com.
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