Hundreds of residents of Nova Zagora blocked a key intersection in the city this afternoon in protest against systemic impunity on the road. The dissatisfaction escalated after a serious accident on New Year's Eve, in which two people died. The incident reveals serious shortcomings in the work of the institutions, as the guilty driver was driving with a suspended license, after drinking alcohol and in conditions of police pursuit.
"We want stricter laws for drivers and prevention that save human lives, not reactions after death. Because taking a human life is no longer a mistake, but a crime," said Ivanka Kashkavaladzhieva, the organizer of the protest, quoted by BGNES.
The fatal collision occurred on December 31, just hours before the start of 2026. According to eyewitness accounts, the tragedy was preceded by a chase with the police. Patrol cars chased the offender on the road to the village of Kamenovo and back to the city after he refused to stop at a stop light.
"The police chase him from here to Kamenovo. They turn around, and chase him again. And the whole thing happens when the car runs a red light and trouble starts," says an eyewitness to the events. In an attempt to escape from law enforcement, the driver ran a red light and swept away the victims' car, who were returning home after shopping for the holiday.
The protest also shed light on an open secret about corruption schemes that allow unlicensed drivers to return to the road. Citizens openly talk about buying driver's licenses from neighboring Greece.
"You can't go to Greece and buy a license for 5,000 leva and have murders on the road," the protesters commented.
Ivanka Draganova, a long-time driver with a "golden ticket" and 40 years of experience behind the wheel, rhetorically asked why the laws only apply to conscientious citizens, while repeat offenders enjoy de facto immunity until the moment of a fatal accident.
The organizers handed over a list of six specific demands to the Ministry of Interior and local authorities. Among them are a demand for "zero tolerance", daily checks for alcohol and drugs, and a public monthly report from the Regional Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs – Nova Zagora.
The citizens are also demanding changes in the city's infrastructure – the installation of "cops on the streets", speed cameras, and a complete reorganization of traffic at the roundabout on "Patriarh Evtimiy" Street.