Balgarianovinite.com The Regional Development and Public Works Ministry and the ruling Progressive Bulgaria are prioritizing the fastest rather than the cheapest solution for restoring the road damaged by the landslide near the winter resort of Pamporovo in the Rhodope Mountains, Regional Development Minister Ivan Shishkov said during a parliamentary hearing on Thursday.
Shishkov said that his ministry and his party are committed to restoring the road as quickly as possible rather than seeking the least expensive option. He emphasized that, politically, they would not spare funds, while technically they would pursue the best and fastest engineering solution.
The Minister reiterated that the most likely and practical approach for restoring the route would be the construction of a bridge structure. He explained that the landslide had not previously been registered with the ministry because no reports had ever been submitted about its existence. According to him, the landslide remains active, with severe soil saturation identified as the main triggering factor. Tests showed that groundwater levels in the area are located at depths between 50 centimetres and 1.5 meters.
Shishkov also announced that tests conducted on a nearby dam had ruled out water leakage as a contributing factor. Meanwhile, the National Construction Control Directorate is carrying out a full inspection of how nearby facilities are connected to the water supply and sewage network.
Regarding the bypass road, the Minister reminded lawmakers that it is a municipal road. He said that the ministry is assisting the municipality with route planning and cadastral data for the construction of an alternative route, but clarified that the state cannot directly finance the project through the Road Infrastructure Agency.
In response to questions from MPs, Shishkov discussed the urban planning, institutional, and systemic failures that contributed to the activation of the landslide on the Pamporovo-Smolyan road. He pointed out that many of Bulgaria’s leading resorts, including Pamporovo and coastal municipalities such as Nessebar, Primorsko, and Pomorie, still lack approved General Development Plans.
As an example of poor planning, Shishkov referred to the areas around the three main ski-lift stations in Pamporovo. He criticized the construction of hotels and the clearing of forests without providing basic parking facilities or adequate supporting infrastructure for tourists. According to him, visitors to the resort encounter these shortcomings immediately when attempting to access the ski lifts.
Addressing the issue of bypass roads in the region, the Minister described their condition as a serious problem. He argued that the entire road sector suffers from a systemic lack of motivation for carrying out work properly and to a high standard, which has negatively affected the state of the regional road network.
In response to another parliamentary question, Shishkov criticized the practices of previous governments, accusing them of distributing massive advance payments for landslide stabilization projects without having completed project documentation in place.
The Minister recalled that during his terms in office he had submitted at least ten reports concerning alleged abuses in the road sector to the prosecuting magistracy. He urged lawmakers to reform the judicial system so it can adequately address corruption and hold those responsible accountable.
Shishkov also addressed construction companies directly, saying that no one would demand kickbacks from them, but that authorities would insist on quality work, reasonable prices, and proper execution. He stressed that combating corruption is critically important and that both the sector and the administration must understand that “things can no longer continue in the old way”. Government Prioritizes Fastest Solution for Landslide-Damaged Pamporovo Road 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-21 10:35:29 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law