Bulgaria’s Parliament Asks Government to Adopt Position on the Mobility Package

Bulgaria’s Parliament on 11^th of May unanimously adopted a resolution requiring the Council of Ministers to come up with a position in support of the demands of the Bulgarian carriers regarding the European Commission's "Mobility Package". According to the transport industry, the new EU rules threaten with bankruptcy many Bulgarian companies.

Parliament's decision states that measures in the mobility package will have a negative impact on the transport sector and that small firms will be pushed out of the market. It is also noted that the requirement for drivers to have their weekly rest in a hotel and not in the cabs of the lorries will force them to leave the loads they carry unattended and will cost them extra costs.

The requirement for drivers to return to their home country every 3 weeks also poses a serious challenge for companies. They will be forced to provide additional transport for drivers to return home, which means more costs and less flexibility in the allocation of working hours.

Some days ago, after a meeting of road transport operators with Prime Minister Borissov, it became clear that the government was behind the demands of the carriers.

Carriers threatened with protests on May 16 and 17, when the EU leaders will meet for the European Union - Western Balkans summit in Sofia.