The National Road Infrastructure Agency (NRIA) has proposed that lots two and three of the Trakiya motorway should be included within the transport operational programme at the expense of the previously designated lots two and three of the Struma motorway.

"The alleged amendment to the operational programme was tabled at a meeting conducted by the Transport Ministry," said Yanko Yankov, the executive director of NARI, as quoted by Stroitelstvo Gradut.

Both Strouma motorway tenders were cancelled on February 20, 2009. As for lot three, which is on the section between Blagoevgrad and Sandanski, the Cabinet decided to postpone its construction but include it in the transport operational programme's next operational period, commissioned for 2014-2020.

The reasons for the delay, according to the Cabinet, was the nature of this part of the motorway. The Cabinet described it as of "exceptionally complex character", especially where the motorway enters the Kresnensko gorge and extends for more than 20km of viaducts. This would require the construction of an elaborate tunnel network that has to meet European standards and specifications. 

Regarding Strouma motorway's lot two, the Government decided that the design was incomplete and in breach of a tender procedure, hence resources were best allocated to Trakiya motorway instead. In simple terms, Strouma lot two will swallow time, resources, money and construction, and since the first operational programme has an active period from 2007 until 2013,  it was concluded that the project cannot be fulfilled and that it should be excluded until some future date, or the 2014 – 2020 programme.

Bearing all this in mind, NRIA decided that tenders for lots two and three of the Trakia motorway should start immediately. "Accordingly, construction works are expected to be started by June 2009," said Yanko Yankov.

propertywisebulgaria.