site.btaMotorcyclists Protest Nationwide Over Rising Civil Liability Insurance Costs

Motorcyclists staged a protest on Friday at Prince Alexander I Battenberg Square in Sofia, blocking traffic along Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard. The demonstration was organized in response to the rising cost of the mandatory insurance against civil liability, with organizers claiming that its price has increased by more than 80%.

The motorcyclists are demanding the option of instalment payments and the introduction of seasonal insurance policies, arguing that a large number of riders do not use their motorcycles year-round, but only during specific months.

The nationwide protest also involved motorcyclists from other cities across the country, where they briefly blocked traffic on several major road arteries. These included the E79 road near Montana in the direction of Danube Bridge 2, the Maritsa Motorway near Svilengrad at the Novo Selo junction in the direction of Greece, as well as the Danube Bridge near Ruse.

Earlier in the day, Bulgaria’s Ombudsman Veliislava Delcheva said that it is completely unfair to require motorcyclists to pay full-year insurance or vignette fees when they use their vehicles only seasonally. She added that it is even more unjust that insurers do not allow instalment payments for insurance against civil liability, saying that car owners already have this option and there is no valid reason why it should not apply to motorcyclists.

The Financial Supervision Commission said it is actively working on resolving the insurance issue for motorcyclists and is prepared to propose legislative changes that would satisfy both the industry and insurance consumers.