Former Bulgaria national team captain Stiliyan Petrov addressed his fellow citizens following the serious chain collisions on the Trakia motorway, in which 11 people were killed. A total of 51 injured people were admitted to hospitals in Sliven, Yambol and Burgas.
“My heart goes out to the victims and those injured in this terrible tragedy, and to all the families experiencing unimaginable loss,” Petrov wrote. He expressed his condolences to everyone affected and said he could find no words that could ease the pain of losing a loved one.
In his message, the former footballer linked the tragedy to the broader issue of road safety. According to him, Bulgaria has witnessed far too many incidents that could have been prevented.
“Today we mourn. Tomorrow we must change something.”
Petrov said that citizens go to the polls, listen to promises of change and expect their lives to become safer, but those promises once again remain unfulfilled. He described this as the reason for a “deep sense of disappointment”.
The former national team captain insisted that people deserve more than empty words. In his view, what is needed is governance that places human life above political expediency, as well as infrastructure that protects citizens instead of putting them at risk.
“We need tangible action,” Petrov said, calling for the safety and well-being of Bulgarians to become an absolute priority. He concluded by urging society to continue demanding the change the country needs.