Traffic for lorries leaving Bulgaria through the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint is heavy. “Traffic is heavy at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint in the outbound direction for lorries,” the Directorate-General for Border Police reports.
Traffic is normal at all border checkpoints with Romania, Greece, Serbia and the Republic of North Macedonia. The Oryahovo–Bechet and Svishtov–Zimnicea ferry routes are temporarily out of service due to the low water level of the Danube River. Passenger cars and minibuses weighing up to 3.5 tonnes are allowed to pass through Rudозem, Zlatograd, Makaza and Ivaylovgrad, while buses and lorries are also allowed through Kulata, Ilinden and Kapitan Petko Voyvoda.
Repairs and Restrictions on Major Roads
On the Trakia Motorway, traffic between Ihtiman and Mirovo in the direction of Burgas requires increased caution due to repairs to the barriers in the emergency lane. On the Hemus Motorway, traffic for vehicles weighing over 12 tonnes is restricted in the section between the Boaza and Dermantsi interchanges.
On road I-8 between Svilengrad and the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, transit lorries weighing over 12 tonnes are being diverted along a route via road II-89, the Maritsa Motorway and the Kapitan Andreevo interchange. The restriction is due to repairs to bridge structures and is scheduled to remain in force until the end of the year.
Sections where repair work is ongoing include road I-9 near Pomorie, where the speed limit is 50 km/h; road II-74 in Targovishte, with a limit of 40 km/h; and road III-208 between Yabalchevo and Aytos, where traffic is being carried out in both directions in a single lane and regulated by traffic lights. On road II-73 between Lozarevo and Prilep, traffic is also being carried out in a single lane due to repairs and partial asphalting.
Mountain Tourism Conditions
Conditions in the high parts of the mountains are good, but temperatures range from minus 6 to 0 degrees. There is frost on the ground, while light winds are blowing in the highest areas. The Mountain Rescue Service has not registered any incidents involving tourists during the previous 24 hours.
The forecast from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology is for sunny weather in the mountains. At 1,200 metres, the maximum temperature will be around 5 degrees, while at 2,000 metres it will be around minus 1 degree. Tourists should take the winter conditions into account on shaded and high-mountain routes.
Fire and Traffic Police
Over a 24-hour period, fire service units responded to 93 incident reports and extinguished 45 fires. Direct material damage was caused in 24 of them, while two people died in the fires. A total of 46 rescue and support operations were carried out, including eight following road accidents involving vehicles.
As part of the Traffic Police’s special operation from 30 October to 5 November, 107,784 motor vehicles were checked. A total of 28,427 penalty notices and 2,507 citations were issued. Authorities identified 149 drivers who had driven after consuming alcohol, as well as 51 drivers who had driven after using narcotic substances or their analogues.