The police cannot solve the problem of road injuries alone, said the Minister of the Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev. According to him, the Ministry of the Interior is currently compensating for the lack of sufficient action by state and municipal institutions.
“The police are fighting this phenomenon with muscle“, said Demerdzhiev. He pointed out that in countries with better results, the role of the police in limiting road injuries is about 33%, while the remaining measures must be implemented by other institutions.
According to the Minister of the Interior, the problem is deepening because Bulgaria has not yet developed and adopted a comprehensive road safety strategy. The horizon for its implementation is 2027, with regulatory and organizational changes envisaged.
The document is being developed jointly with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. Demerdzhiev said that the results of the strategy should be seen after the involvement of all responsible institutions.
Demerdzhiev pointed out that the actions of the police have led to the replacement of tires on many vehicles. According to him, the cases in which cars drive over the barriers have also stopped.
When asked whether Bulgaria can achieve results like Poland without a radical change in infrastructure, the minister replied: “No chance“. He highlighted the need to improve roads, road signs and signage.
According to Demerdzhiev, municipalities should also be actively involved in the process. "The Ministry of Interior alone cannot cope in any way," he said.