Official Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Violeta Koritarova met with protesters against the crossing of heavy-duty trucks through the Petrohan Pass in Stara Planina on the road in the village of Burziya, Berkovitsa municipality, BTA reported.
She stated that North-West Bulgaria needs new roads and that is why the Mezdra - Lyutidol section needs to be closed for repair and construction of an expressway. Minister Koritarova called on people for tolerance and patience until the new road is built. She believes that this road will give a boost to the development of the economy in Northwestern Bulgaria, and specified that the Montana - Sofia road through the Petrokhan pass is one of the detour routes for heavy trucks.
Minister Koritarova announced that in the first 24 hours after the release of trucks weighing more than 12 tons through the passage, 278 tires passed through it.
She refuted the claim that the decision to run tracks through Petrokhan was taken at the dictation of the carriers, and explained that the tracks are not allowed to run on weekends and busy peak hours, taking into account the opinion of the local people.< /p>
Protesters pointed out that the timings for crossing the lanes were not being observed by the drivers. Photos and videos were shown that show how heavy trucks pass in the opposite direction Sofia - Montana, which is prohibited by the order of the "Road Infrastructure" Agency. (API).
The People's Representative from "Revival" Petar Petrov, who attended the protest, asked how much a human life is worth and if it can be measured in fuel and kilometers that transporters will save if they take the shorter route through the Petrokhan Pass. He stated that he feared traffic accidents, as large trucks inevitably enter the oncoming traffic lane at the bends in the pass and pose a risk to cars.
Protesters said that the Montana - Berkovitsa road was blocked by kilometer-long columns of tires and miraculously there were no accidents.
The locals did not agree with Minister Koritarova's arguments and blocked traffic on the Sofia-Montana road for half an hour. They sat on the road and waved national flags, chanting "resign" at her address. The protesters said they were ready to pitch tents to prevent heavy trucks from passing through Petrokhan.
The protest ended shortly after 8:00 p.m. when traffic was restored.