Driver of Bulgaria's Killer Bus: I am in Despair

Svetoslav Dimitrov, 43, was behind the wheel at the time of the fatal crash on Bulgaria's Trakiya highway. Photo by 24 Hours daily

Pressure is piling on the driver, who was behind the wheel at the time of the fatal crash on Bulgaria's Trakiya highway early on Wednesday, amid rising expectations that he will be left carrying the can for the accident whether or not he was to blame.

Svetoslav Dimitrov, 43, has been charged with recklessly causing the death of more than one person which, according to the Penal Code, is punished with imprisonment from 5 to 15 years.

Prosecutors have ruled that he is not likely to hide or commit another crime. He has been released on bail of BGN 5,000 and can not leave the country. But the man says he does not have the money to pay the bail.

"I have to savings. How shall I find BGN 5000? We did not get our salaries regularly and now I will have to ask for help friends and relatives. Let's hope they will help," Dimitrov told Trud daily.

The driver did not hide his despair and said he is feeling terrible, does not know what to do and does not want to say anything for the time being.

Interestingly the owner of the company, operating the bus, which crashed and claimed the lives of eight Bulgarians, has not been arrested yet, leading many to believe that the driver will have to bear the brunt.

An Enturtrans bus, travelling from the capital Sofia to the Black Sea city of Burgas overturned and burst into flames on Trakiya highway, near the second largest city of Plovdiv, in the wee hours Wednesday, killing 8 and injuring 20, two of them in critical condition.

Meanwhile, the press center of the Plovdiv St. Georgi hospital informed on Friday that the condition of eight of the injured is improving and their lives are out of danger.

The only one remaining in critical condition is Albena Samuilova, 46, listed in the hospital in the Black Sea city of Burgas with severe head trauma and on life-support.

Two other injured passengers – an 18-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man underwent successfully surgeries on Friday.

Thursday was declared a Day of Mourning in Bulgaria for the victims of the crash.

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