Sofia, October 11 (BTA) - Bulgarian road construction workers staged a fourth national protest here on Monday over a lack of dialogue with the government and its refusal to pay over 900 million leva for road construction and maintenance carried out in recent months. Some 3,000 workers and 100 heavy-duty vehicles were slated to join the demonstration organized by Bulgarian Branch Chamber Roads (BBCR).

A line of tip trucks and snow ploughs were parked in the square between the buildings of the President's Administration, Council of Ministers and Parliament, blocking traffic in central Sofia.

Deputy Regional Minister Valentin Gramatikov admitted at a news conference on Friday that the companies are owed over 930 million leva (222,5 million leva invoiced costs and 710,5 million leva uninvoiced costs) for repairs and maintenance of the national road network. "The money will be paid, but first the government and the industry should come to terms on how to do this properly," Gramatikov added.

BBCR Board Chairman Stefan Tchaikov told journalists on Monday that all companies affiliated to the BBCR will claim interest and gains foregone on their arrears from the Road Infrastructure Agency.

Tchaikov told journalists that representatives of the industry will not hold meetings at the Ministry of the Regional Development and Public Works. No such invitation has been received, and the companies' owners have authorized the Chamber to speak for them, Tchaikov said. He argued that meetings in private are absolutely unacceptable for a minister and the branch will not agree to communication of this type.

On Friday, the companies' owners were invited to negotiate at the Ministry, but the meeting did not take place as the senior officials refused to talk to representatives of the industry. Later in the day, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Violeta Komitova told a news conference that the payments will be discussed at bilateral talks with the owners of some 20 companies, starting Monday.

The Chamber will seek again an appointment with Prime Minister Stefan Yanev, after this request was not granted at the earlier protest on Friday, Tchaikov added on Monday.

The protesters reiterated their demand for Komitova's resignation, accusing her of handling their problem inadequately. Tchaikov argued that her inaction will result in additional losses to the state budget.

Deputy Regional Minister Ivan Shishkov told Bulgarian National Television on Monday that road building companies had received almost 1.5 billion leva in advance for repair and maintenance but had started work worth only 363 million leva and were not ready to begin the other projects covered by the advance payments.

"We would like to have a discussion with these companies on guaranteeing the taxpayers' money they have received. I consider this a fundamental issue", Shishkov added in his televised interview. He argued that some of this financing may have been distributed opaquely and without a legal basis.

The caretaker Cabinet has repeatedly stated that the previous GERB-dominated government provided over 1 billion leva in funding for large infrastructure projects which have yet to be planned.

The road construction workers will protest again on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Council of Ministers building, the BBCR Chairman told journalists. Such protests will be staged daily until the companies' demands are met, he added. LN/KK/LG