The Sofia Municipality expresses a categorical position against the proposal of the parliamentary group of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms for a complete ban on electric scooters in the country. Individual electric vehicles are an integral part of modern urban mobility and represent a sustainable alternative that helps to ease traffic and improve air quality.
Deputy Mayor for Security Lachezar Milushev emphasized that the municipality is betting on the balance between innovation and security:
„Currently, this issue is regulated by the Road Traffic Act. Our consistent position is that these are alternative and ecological vehicles that are useful for the city. More and more people are using them and we are developing the infrastructure in this direction. Control over their legal use and information campaigns among citizens using such vehicles have been increased. Tomorrow someone may want to ban bicycles as well.“
Why is a ban not a solution?
Sofia is among the European cities with the highest degree of motorization (between 550 and 600 cars per 1,000 people), and data show that over 80% of scooter drivers have replaced their personal cars for their city routes.
Vasil Terziev's administration is categorical that safety problems must be solved through information campaigns, control and sanctions for violators, and not by restricting the rights of all responsible citizens.
Specific safety measures:
- Instead of outright bans, Sofia now applies a strict regulatory framework, which includes:
- Restricted zones: Complete ban on movement in parks, gardens and pedestrian areas, supported by software speed limits of up to 5 km/h in certain zones.
- Increased control: Joint operations of the Municipal Police and the State Directorate of Internal Affairs to comply with the rules.
- New requirements: Mandatory use of helmets, minimum age for driving and registration of vehicles.
- Infrastructure: Designation of special parking zones and GPS speed control.
The Sofia Municipality will continue to work to upgrade these measures, transforming Sofia into a city that promotes modern mobility while ensuring safety for pedestrians.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lachezar Milushev has been Deputy Mayor for Security of Sofia Municipality since February 16, 2026, with over 30 years of professional experience in leadership and expert positions in the Ministry of Interior and the national security system, while at the same time being an active cyclist who uses bicycle transport daily both for moving around the city and for direct detours related to his work.