Minister Shishkov Announces Start of Repairs on Vidin-Oryahovo Road.

The announcement was made during a briefing following a meeting with the mayors of the northwestern municipalities of Vidin, Lom, Oryahovo, Mizia and Valchedram, where the major reconstruction of Road II-11 between Vidin and Oryahovo was presented.

Today I invited the mayors of Vidin, Lom, Valchedram, Mizia and Oryahovo because we are launching another initiative to restore Bulgaria's deteriorated infrastructure, the regional development minister said.

He announced that four sections of the route—considered one of the country's most deteriorated roads—will undergo major reconstruction and stressed the importance of close cooperation with local authorities.

The Road Infrastructure Agency said the first section is about 10 kilometers long, the second 23.5 kilometers, the third 29 kilometers and the fourth just under 9 kilometers.

According to the minister, Northwestern Bulgaria has been systematically neglected in recent years and has received the lowest level of funding for road repairs. He described the road to Vidin as a road of shame and said the region's poor governance had contributed to its economic decline. He added that Northwestern Bulgaria would now become one of the government's key priorities.

The minister emphasized that the projects would be financed with European funds and warned that canceling already completed public procurement procedures could jeopardize the funding and lead to years of legal disputes.

He said the mayors had been invited to confirm their willingness to cooperate and support the completion of the ongoing procurement procedures in order to preserve the available EU funding.

The reconstruction of Road II-11 will be carried out in compliance with all legal requirements, including approved investment projects, construction permits and independent construction supervision. The ongoing design work will also provide the state with complete plans for the road's full reconstruction.