The municipality of Borino has launched a public procurement procedure to reinforce the road to the Buynovo Gorge at a cost more than twice the funding allocated by the state. The discrepancy between the available funds and the estimated value of the contract, the choice of an “engineering” procurement model and the absence of environmental evaluation criteria raise a series of questions about how the project will be carried out.
Where will the extra money come from?
On 15 December 2025, the Interdepartmental Commission for Disaster and Accident Relief allocated BGN 350,000 for measures to prevent and address the consequences of disasters involving the retaining wall along the Teshel–Buynovo–Kozhari road.
Just a few months later, on 16 March 2026, the municipality of Borino announced a public procurement procedure with an estimated value of €405,745.70 excluding VAT – almost BGN 800,000 before tax.
Including VAT, the final cost could approach €500,000.
The tender documents state that the contract is not financed with European Union funds. At the same time, the municipality has not identified any additional funding.
This raises the main question: where will the money come from if the contract is awarded at its estimated value?
Why “engineering” when the project is already described?
The contract is being awarded under an “engineering” model, in which the successful bidder is responsible for the design, construction and author’s supervision.
The model is legally permitted, but in this case the choice raises questions because the investment proposal submitted to the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water – Smolyan already contains detailed technical parameters for the structure.
The project envisages a reinforced-concrete retaining wall made up of 22 sections, with a total length of 110 metres and a maximum height of 3.50 metres. It also includes drainage openings, backfilling, a drainage system and a protective fence.
Given how detailed the existing technical solution already is, it remains unclear what exactly the successful bidder will still be required to design and on what basis the estimated value of more than €400,000 was calculated.
The road lies in a protected area
The retaining wall is located in an area of high environmental value. The site borders the Buynovo Gorge natural landmark and lies within the Trigrad–Mursalitsa and Western Rhodopes protected areas.
The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water in Smolyan has imposed specific conditions for the project: no damage to rock formations, no widening of the road footprint and no dumping of excavated material in adjacent areas.
These requirements form part of the conditions for carrying out the project. At the same time, the public procurement does not include separate evaluation criteria related to environmental protection.
This raises the question of how compliance with the environmental restrictions will be guaranteed during construction and who will be held responsible if they are breached.
Between infrastructure needs and transparency
The Teshel–Buynovo–Kozhari road is important both to local residents and to tourists heading towards the Buynovo Gorge. Reinforcing the route is necessary, particularly given the risk of further landslides and structural problems.
But the need for repairs does not remove the questions surrounding the way the work is being procured.
How did the project go from state funding of BGN 350,000 to a tender worth almost BGN 800,000 excluding VAT? Why was an engineering contract chosen when the technical parameters are already described in detail? And how will it be guaranteed that construction will not damage the protected natural environment?
Until these questions are answered clearly, the retaining wall near Buynovo is more than an infrastructure project. It is also a test of whether a small municipality can plan, award and spend public money transparently – particularly when construction is taking place in one of the most environmentally sensitive areas of the Rhodope Mountains.
