This week, key changes to road traffic and the criminal liability of drivers in Bulgaria come into effect. The innovations affect both administrative sanctions and criminal liability for using alcohol and drugs behind the wheel.
The most significant change concerns the refusal to take alcohol and drug tests. Until now, this refusal was punished only administratively – with the withdrawal of the driver's license for two years and a fine of 2,000 leva. After the new changes to the Criminal Code, when a driver refuses a drug or alcohol test after being involved in a traffic accident, he is now liable for one year in prison and a fine of 2,500 leva.
Fines for driving with alcohol over 1.2 per mille or with narcotics are increasing from the previous 200-1,000 leva to 1,000-5,000 leva. In the event of a repeat offense, when a driver with a valid conviction is caught with over 0.5 per mille, the penalty will be from 2,000 to 10,000 leva, compared to the previous 500-1,500 leva.
Data from the Ministry of Interior show the seriousness of the problem - since the beginning of the year, nearly 3,500 drivers have been caught driving after drinking alcohol. Of these, 1,888 had a concentration over 0.5 per mille, and over 1,500 – with over 1.2 per mille. Particularly worrying is the fact that there are nearly 10,000 refusals to test, with 60% of cases involving refusal of a drug test.
Strict rules are also being introduced for electric scooters. They can now only be driven by persons over 16 years of age, with a mandatory helmet and "Third Party Liability" insurance. Scooter traffic is allowed only during daylight hours and only after registration with the municipal administration.
Sanctions for violators of scooter rules start from 50 leva for lack of a helmet to a 500 leva fine for a parent who allows a child under 16 to drive an electric vehicle.
For the first time in Bulgaria, average speed control is being introduced through toll cameras. If you exceed the speed limit by more than 40 kilometers per hour outside a built-up area, your license plate may be confiscated for two months in addition to the fine of 600 leva.
Municipal cameras will also be able to detect speeding violations, with local authorities receiving 50% of the fines imposed for violations detected by their cameras.
A significant change is the requirement to pay all fines and tickets before conducting a technical inspection of the vehicle. This means that car owners will not be able to pass a technical inspection if they have unpaid debts to the state.
The law also provides for the introduction of one-day vignettes, but this will happen six months after the publication of the changes in the "State Gazette".
Experts from the Road Safety Institute criticize some of the measures, pointing out that penalties are increasing without solving the main problems with road infrastructure and control. According to them, the burden of road safety is shifted solely to road users, especially drivers.
The maximum speed on highways remains 140 kilometers per hour, despite discussions about reducing it to 130.
The changes come into force one month after their publication in the "State Gazette", with longer deadlines for some of the provisions being provided for.