Sofia Prosecutors Blame Rally for Vital Ambulance Delay

A picture distributed on Facebook, shows the ambulance heading to a horrific crash scene in Sofia has been provided free access during an anti-government protest.

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office has requested from the City Hall to provide a written statement on allegations that the anti-government protest rally had prevented an ambulance from accessing a main boulevard.

According to the prosecution, the ambulance heading on Tsarigradsko Shosse boulevard to the scene of the horrific Wednesday evening crash in which a taxi cab ram into a group of people standing at a bus stop, has been delayed by 12 minutes because it did not have free access due to the rally and was forced to make a detour.

The Sofia Prosecutors have started legal proceedings against an unknown perpetrator and are asking Mayor, Yordanka Fandakova, to issue an opinion if the protests on main roads and key intersections should be banned.

However, the Director of the Emergency Medical Unit in Sofia, Dr. Georgi Gelev, firmly rejected the above. He told the Bulgarian National Television that there have been no delays whatsoever and all six ambulances have arrived at the scene within 15 minutes. The standard time is 20 minutes.

The first ambulance has arrived within 4 minutes, the doctor says, adding the ambulances came from various Sofia hospitals.

One person died from injuries sustained in the crash, while 11 have been hurt, 4, including a child, seriously.

Meanwhile, the demonstrators distributed on social networks many pictures and videos from Wednesday evening, showing the said ambulance had free access to Tsarigradsko Shosse.

Fandakova and the Sofia Police Chief have a 12 pm Friday deadline to issue their official opinion.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!