After the increase in toll rates, hauliers have raised concerns that trucks of lower eco-categories are traveling more cheaply on the road network, and the pricing is not fair. However, today, the National Toll Management authority said that the prices continue to follow the principle that polluters pay more, while trucks in higher eco-categories pay less.
If two trucks, one eco-category 3 and the other eco-category 5, travel on a motorway in the country - they will have to pay toll tax of 41 and 40 cents respectively for every kilometre they travel.
Prof. Oleg Asenov, Director of the National Toll Management: "It follows the principle that the one who uses, pays, and the one who pollutes, pays. Therefore, those with the highest Euro category gets a preference, as the directive allows us to differentiate up to 50%."
So the difference between the most polluting and the most environmentally friendly category cannot be more than 50% of the price. According to the European directive, in order to avoid discrimination, drivers must be charged equally, regardless of whether they are domestic or transit.
"This does not mean that measures cannot be applied – for example, limiting transit traffic on specific corridors and allowing national traffic to use alternative routes where lower fees are charged," he said.
Since Bulgaria joined Schengen and land border controls were lifted, road traffic has increased, including transit trucks.
Krasimir Chakarov, Control and Enforcement at the National Toll Authority: "The increase is between 6 and 7%."
Prof. Oleg Asenov, Director of the National Toll Management: "For March alone, we had a 5% increase in toll revenue."
On the previous day, 4,000 violators were caught.
Prof. Oleg Asenov, Director of the National Toll Management: "More than half of them are heavy trucks, and of the heavy trucks, two-thirds are foreign."
No decision has been made yet on whether hauliers will protest over higher toll system prices. Talks with the government continue.
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