Severe crashes will not be stopped with more cameras and fines, but with safe roads, genuine enforcement and institutional accountability.
“Our roads, generally speaking, are nothing but enormous slaughterhouses.” With these words, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov commented on the tragedy on the Trakia Motorway in an interview with Darik Radio. He expressed his condolences to the relatives of those who died and called on the authorities to draw the necessary conclusions from yet another serious crash.
According to Kostadinov, the state is focusing on cameras and fines instead of genuine prevention and the safety of travellers.
“These cameras, this entire vast video-surveillance system operating on our roads, has one sole purpose – to impose fines on drivers, rather than create conditions for greater road safety,” he said.
Kostadinov recalled that Vazrazhdane had objected to the approach whereby the main focus of the amendments to the Road Traffic Act is placed on penalising drivers. Increasing fines and collection rates does not lead to improved road safety.
He also drew attention to the state of the infrastructure, pointing to the tunnel and bridge repairs on the Hemus Motorway, which have been ongoing for years. According to him, this demonstrates serious problems in the management and maintenance of the roads.
The leader of Vazrazhdane also raised the question of why the BG-ALERT early warning system was not activated during the dangerous weather conditions on the Trakia Motorway.
“Why was this system not activated? After all, wasn’t that what it was created for?” he asked, insisting that it be established whether the officials responsible for its operation had failed to act and that, if shortcomings were identified, those responsible be held accountable.
Vazrazhdane insists that road safety policy should focus on protecting human life, rather than being limited to cameras, penalties and explanations after yet another tragedy. The state must prevent crashes, not merely report their consequences.