What proportion of foreign-registered vehicles has travelled through Bulgaria since the beginning of the month? Data from the National Toll Administration show that more than three million Romanian-registered vehicles have passed through the country, largely because Romania has no alternative route to the Greek seaside.
However, vehicles registered in Germany and Turkey rank second and third respectively. On Maritsa Motorway, where the serious crash occurred, they account for as much as 70% of all traffic.
It also emerges that, over the past 10 days, a significant proportion of average-speed violations have been committed by foreign drivers.
This is what the borders of Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria look like today. Thousands of vehicles from Western Europe are passing through Bulgaria in transit on their way to summer holidays, primarily in Turkey. Petrol stations along the Trakia and Maritsa motorways are filled with migrant workers travelling home.
"We are travelling by car from Germany to Turkey. The whole journey takes us three days. We stop at petrol stations to take breaks, because my father, who is driving, needs to rest. We also stop for breakfast."
According to the National Toll Administration, nearly 70% of traffic on the Maritsa Motorway consists of foreign-registered vehicles. More than 90% of average-speed offences recorded on the same route have been committed by vehicles with foreign registration plates.
"Vehicles with Turkish registration plates are much more aggressive on the road. They push in and cut us off."
Prof. Oleg Asenov, National Toll Administration:
"Traditionally, across the country and on all monitored sections, we record between 250 and 300 offences a day. Over the past 10 days, that figure has almost tripled to around 900 offences a day. The main contribution has come from the Kalotina–Kapitan Andreevo route, while the section with the highest number of average-speed violations is the Maritsa Motorway."
The system that will enable foreign drivers to be fined in real time, before they leave the country, is also nearing completion.
Prof. Oleg Asenov, National Toll Administration:
"When an offender experiences the full force of the law and the enforcement authorities at the very moment the offence is committed, it has a far greater deterrent effect on future behaviour than if they simply leave the country without facing any consequences and believe they have got away with it."
The National Toll Administration reports that, over the past month, there have been nearly 71 million vehicle journeys on Bulgaria's road network. Of these, just over 14% were made by foreign-registered vehicles.
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