Bulgarian Top Cop: No Plea Bargain for Deadly Car Accidents

Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has called for barring the option of plea bargain for car accident cases resulting in death. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has demanded that the option of plea bargain be barred for defendants in traffic accidents involving death.

In a Friday interview for private TV station Nova TV, he argued that the plea bargain was "particularly cynical in terms of its implementation".

Under existing legislation, the prosecuting authority has the right to initiate or to accept proposals for plea bargaining on traffic accident cases.

The plea bargain is eventually approved by a court which may revoke the agreement reached between the two parties.

Bulgaria's Penal Code envisages a penalty of up to 6 years in prison for vehicular manslaughter.

Tsvetanov reasoned that the court and the prosecuting authority were not enough to guarantee justice in this type of cases and insisted that plea bargains be sealed only after the agreement of the relatives of the deceased victims.

The Interior Minister announced that a round table would be held in Parliament on Monday to discuss legal amendments related to road safety.

Tsvetanov voiced hopes that the discussion would be attended by relatives of traffic accident victims so as to ensure that "the most appropriate legal changes in line with public interest can be outlined".

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