The capital of Bulgaria is in a road transport crisis with a human dimension, which requires urgent and decisive intervention. Sofia is the city with the highest increase in road traffic fatalities in the country. For the first nine months of 2025, the number of road fatalities was 31, and the number of injured was 652. For comparison, during the same period in 2024, the number of fatalities was 23, and the number of injured was 645. 645. This represents an increase in the number of deaths by nearly 35%, the Road Safety Institute wrote in an official letter to Mayor Vasil Terziev and continued:
These data categorically contradict the commitment you made during the election campaign — to coordinate the work of the responsible institutions and reduce the number of victims by 10%. The results show not just failure, but a dramatic departure from the stated goals.
Main reasons for the failure
1. Management chaos
Over the past two years, the Sofia Municipality has lacked a consistent and professional policy in the field of transport and road safety. The lack of responsible deputy mayors, frequent staff changes and the inability to effectively coordinate between units lead to institutional paralysis.
2. Evasion of responsibility
Instead of taking concrete actions, excuses are sought and previous administrations are blamed. At the same time, the systemic inability to manage the risk of road accidents continues.
3. Complete failure in the management of infrastructure projects
All significant repairs (blvd. „Patriarh Evtimiy“, blvd. „Opalchenska“, blvd. „Stamboliyski“, ul. „Rozhen“, etc.) have caused protests from citizens due to poor organization, lack of coordination and inadequate solutions. New risks are created instead of solving existing problems.
4. Lack of effective coordination with the Traffic Police
Formal cooperation is observed without real exchange of information and without a common prevention strategy.
5. Imitation of traffic analysis and control
Traffic management continues to be based on outdated models and unprofessional “solutions“, which often worsen safety.
Conclusions from the analysis
Experts from the Road Safety Institute conducted a comprehensive analysis of all infrastructure projects implemented by the Sofia Municipality over the past two years. The conclusions are extremely alarming:
• Incorrectly calculated bills of quantities (BQM) — price increases of 20% to 70% are observed in all sites, often without objective justification.
• Inclusion of unnecessary construction and installation activities, which lead to inefficient spending of public funds.
• Road safety audits categorically point out hundreds of deficiencies that are ignored by the responsible persons in the municipality, without undertaking corrections to the projects.
Recommendations
In connection with the above, the Road Safety Institute insists on the following:
1. Immediate inspection by the State Financial Inspection Agency and the National Road Safety Commission of all infrastructure projects with a view to the correctness of the Road Safety Code and the legality of the construction activities.
2. Restoration of the Road Safety Advisory Council to the Sofia Municipality.
3. Introduction of a mechanism for extra-system civil control, with the participation of non-governmental organizations and the expert community.
4. Carrying out the promised personnel and structural reforms that you repeatedly announced before taking over the government of Sofia.
Dear Mr. Kmete,
Road safety is not a matter of political comfort, but of human lives. The data is merciless. The time for excuses is over. We expect actions from you, not declarations, conclude the Road Safety Institute.