Text size

National protest demanding tougher penalties for road accidents, legislative changes and better road infrastructure

published on 5/21/23 6:40 AM

Photo: BGNES - archive

A national protest against road accidents will take place today. Roads will be blocked in a number of cities across the country where serious accidents have occurred.

"We are at war. Every year 500-600 people die in road accidents involving motor vehicles. Most of the victims are young people," Ivan Spasov, organiser of the protest and representative of 250 Bulgarian families who have lost loved ones in road accidents, told BNR.

The protesters want tougher penalties, legislative changes and better road infrastructure. Among their demands is that driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs be recognised as a deliberate crime. According to Spasov, under the current law, if a driver kills a person, he now remains in custody for 3 months. After that, he either absconds or gets a suspended sentence.

In 2022 alone, 531 people were killed and 8,422 injured in 6,609 serious traffic accidents on Bulgaria's roads, according to Interior Ministry statistics.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Radio Bulgaria News casualties protest road accidents

More from category

A white fairy tale from Burgas!
Photo: Marina Kirova in the Facebook group

Frosty weather, subzero temperatures expected in almost all regions of Bulgaria on Thursday

On Thursday, the minimum temperatures in Bulgaria will be between minus 14 °C and minus 8°C. In Sofia, it will be around minus 12°C. The day will be sunny but frosty. The thermometer values in most places will be negative. Before noon, there will be..

published on 2/19/25 7:05 PM

Bulgaria honors the memory of national hero Vasil Levski

With various events throughout the country Bulgarians are marking 152 years after the death of the Apostle of Bulgarian Freedom Vasil Levski. Today, at 6:00 p.m. a memorial ceremony in front of the monument to the Apostle of Freedom in Sofia takes..

published on 2/19/25 6:08 PM

Request for extraordinary report on readiness for eurozone membership will be signed

BNB Governor Dimitar Radev will sign the request for an extraordinary convergence report on the fulfillment of the criteria for eurozone membership. This is clear from his response in an interview with BTA, in which Radev announced that the Central..

published on 2/19/25 5:33 PM