The annual technical inspection for a passenger car hit BGN 90, writes “Telegraph”. For comparison, last year the price of the service was between BGN 45 and 60.
The new price from the beginning of April for taxis is BGN 90, and for buses and trucks the prices are from BGN 100 to BGN 120. The examination of a jeep is also more expensive.
There are 1 million registered cars in Sofia alone, and those that are in motion must pass a technical inspection every year. The exception is the new ones, which are inspected in the third year, then in the fifth, from then on the inspection becomes an annual obligation.
The reason for the jump is an increase in the remuneration of the technicians who carry out these inspections, the general secretary of the Union of Bulgarian Motorists (SBA) Emil Panchev told the “Telegraph”. There are no exact statistics on how much wages have increased, as some have an increase in remuneration, while others have an increase in bonuses for the number of examinations performed, as well as other services provided by the SBA.
There are also many service stations that, until last year, had not yet connected their systems to the “Road Infrastructure” Agency. in order to directly submit the data to the institution. The fee for the connection is one-time and is within BGN 1,300, Panchev pointed out. He added that there is an increase throughout the country, and in some cities the fee has already increased last year.
Motor vehicle roadworthiness testing is mandatory for all cars to be able to drive. A driver driving a car, whose deadline for passing an annual technical inspection (ATP) has passed, risks being fined with a ticket for BGN 50 and suspended from driving. If a malfunction is detected and it is not removed in the relevant period, the penalty varies between BGN 50 and BGN 500. And in case of possible participation in a traffic accident, the insurer refuses to pay the damages to a participant in the accident who does not have a valid technical examination.
In the repair shops of the Union of Bulgarian motorists, the price for the inspection in Sofia is BGN 70, which has been increased since January, commented Panchev. For some of the drivers who have membership cards, this service is provided free of charge, as well as many others, with drivers only paying an annual fee for the card. In the non-union sites in Sofia, however, the technical inspection is between BGN 85 and BGN 97.