Volgograd Region: people protest against state of roads

Residents of the city of Mikhailovka, Volgograd Region, have protested against the state of urban roads by means of a flash mob. Motorists were indignant with the way the road service workers repair the carriageway – they jut fill the pits and holes with old bricks.

On March 29, about 80 cars gathered in the centre of the city were; each of the drivers brought a brick with him. The heap of bricks grew under the slogans: "Let's help embezzlers with bricks!", "I pay taxes – where are roads?" Some of the protesters brought a broken bumper and damaged tires instead of bricks.

Sergey Eterevskov, Deputy Mayor, went out to talk to townspeople. He said that the administration has no authority to control contractors; while tenders, according to his story, are won by "whoever possible, but on legal grounds," the edition "Novoye Vremya" (New Time) reports.

The technology of filling in road holes, which has caused residents' protests in used, apart from Mikhailovka, in other cities of the region – Volgograd and Kotov, the IA "Vysota-102" reports.

Alexander Kalyakin, the head of the Volgograd City Improvement Combine, said that this method of patching holes is a "forced and temporary measure."

"We can't put asphalt into puddles; thus, until the onset of warm weather we'll patch holes in this way. In April, we'll make patching by traditional technology, with asphalt," the "News of Volgograd" quotes Mr Kalyakin as saying.