Bulgaria to Use Toll Cameras for Speed Control on Roads

A recent meeting with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov focused on addressing road safety, following a tragic incident in which a child lost their life. The meeting also addressed concerns over ongoing issues with road safety that have yet to be resolved.

Zhelyazkov revealed that an operational report will be reviewed at a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, detailing the efforts of an interdepartmental group formed two months ago. The group has been working to identify dangerous sections of roads, assign responsible authorities, and allocate resources to improve safety, specifically focusing on areas requiring intervention by the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA).

These hazardous sections will be publicly announced to allow for civil oversight. Zhelyazkov emphasized that this government cannot be held accountable for the actions or failures of previous administrations. However, it will take full responsibility for the actions it undertakes, including identifying individuals and resources that will be involved in controlling public funds.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that very little progress has been made in maintaining roads under contracts signed in 2022. He stressed that specific sites will be identified, with set deadlines, and resources will be allocated for their improvement. Additionally, experts from the civil sector will be involved in overseeing these implementations.

By mid-year, speed control through video surveillance will be introduced using funds from the toll system. The Prime Minister confirmed that timelines for this initiative have already been set.

At a follow-up operational meeting, Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov presented a report outlining 37 comprehensive measures aimed at reducing road fatalities and injuries by 20%. Among these measures, offenders will be identified and served criminal orders more efficiently, and stricter controls will be put in place for the transportation of children and students. New technical devices will prevent drivers from starting their vehicles if they have consumed alcohol or drugs. Furthermore, automated measurement systems from municipalities and other state and local institutions will be utilized to issue and serve criminal orders.

Minister of Regional Development Ivan Ivanov also addressed the delay in the construction of the Hemus Motorway and the Botevgrad-Mezdra road, stating that the tragic incident could have been prevented if these projects had been completed on time. Ivanov assured that the Hemus Motorway project has now been restarted, and efforts to secure the 36 identified dangerous road sections are underway.