The Prime Minister has promised that no means to secure roads will be saved

The government will not save funds for road safety in order to increase road safety. This was assured by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov after a working meeting today on the topic. The occasion for the meeting was the death in the crash of 12-year-old Siana Popova, which caused public discontent.

He added that tomorrow the government would accept an assigned analysis two months ago indicating the 36 most dangerous road sections in the country. As early as Thursday, the Road Infrastructure Agency will announce what will be done on them and within what time it should be completed, the Minister of Regional Development Ivan Ivanov said. He added that penalties would follow in the event of failure to comply with the measures.

Zhelyazkov specified that the repairs will be awarded to companies with which there have been contracts for road maintenance since 2022.

The Minister of Regional Development Ivan Ivanov said that because of weaknesses in the processing of road problems reports to the RIA, he introduced monthly reports to him on the actions on all complaints. Later before Nova TV, he told he had almost 100% willingness to start a major overhaul between Lukovit and Pleven, where 12-year-old Siana Popova killed on April 1 in a crash. Such was the last legal 23 years ago.

The minister added that the renovation will begin after the end of June, when Lot 1 of Hemus is launched and the Mezdra – Botevgrad road, which will take over the main traffic.

« The leadership of the Road Infrastructure Agency follows the rhythm I gave, if they violate it, they will be released, » Ivanov said in response to a question whether the head of the Road Agency would be released.

The buses that ride children will not burn if the driver has drank

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov specified that the report, which will be adopted by the cabinet tomorrow, contains 37 specific measures, each of which leads to a direct increase in road safety. A little later before the BNT, the chairman of the State Commission for Road Safety on Roads Malina Krumova specified that identified 37 measures cover all factors that lead to catastrophes.

Later to BNT Grozdan Karadjov stated that for each measure there is a leading ministry, which is responsible for its realization and supporting agencies. « We have deadlines and responsibilities, if one of the ministers stood up, the prime minister can ask for his resignation, » he added.

The goal that the cabinet sets is a reduction in victims and injured in crashes by 20%. The measures are the immediate service of the penal decrees, in the establishment of violations by drivers, as well as an increase in control of the transport of children and students. « We will introduce technical methods that do not allow the engine to start if the driver has used alcohol or drugs, » Karadjov added.

It is also envisaged to use all CCTV systems of the Ministry of Interior, municipalities and state agencies in order to sanction road violations.

The fines of toll cameras become a fact from the middle of the year

The prime minister added that by mid -year, fines will begin to exceed the average speed, which will be established by the cameras of the toll system. Minutes after Zhelyazkov’s statement, Malina Krumova specified that this depends on the adoption of the necessary changes to the Road Traffic Act. The texts are imported into parliament, but it depends on the deputies when they will pay attention.

Deputy Deputy Director Kaloyan Miltenov has announced that the ministry has submitted to Parliament a proposal to reduce the maximum speed of the highway to 130 km/h and the return of the possibility of control of traffic by civilian police officers. As part of a police operation, such control was already carried out between April 3 and 6, but the alerts of the guilty drivers were forwarded to police officers in designated cars that imposed sanctions. The analysis showed that this approach leads to a serious increase in the number of fine drivers.

All technical means and not only road police officers, but also those of the National Police, Gendarmerie and Border Police will be used in the road control.

The Interior Ministry shows that in the first three months of the year, severe crashes are 230 less, the dead are 4 less, and the number of wounded has decreased by 278.