site.bta“Enough Deaths on the Roads”: Victims' Families Demand Action and Accountability
Relatives of people killed in traffic accidents and concerned citizens held a protest in downtown Sofia on Sunday, organized by the "Angels on the Road" Association.
They gathered in front of the Palace of Justice, demanding justice and an end to the "carnage on the roads" under the slogan "Enough Deaths on the Roads. We Will Not Tolerate It Any Longer." They carried photographs of their deceased relatives.
People placed posters on the fence of the Palace of Justice with slogans such as "Speed Kills," "Justice for Our Children," and "Road Killers Are Killing Bulgaria’s Children, the State Is Killing Their Families."
Victims' relatives shared stories of traffic deaths with the assembled citizens. A little boy of around three or four recognized his father among the photographs left on the steps of the Palace of Justice, and his mother was moved to tears.
Nikolay Popov, a prominent advocate for road safety, whose 12-year-old daughter Siana died in a traffic accident last March, said that the main demands of the protesters are accountability and the resignation of judges who "constantly commit outrage." According to Popov, urgent and real judicial reform is needed, including the removal of political quotas in the Supreme Judicial Council, since, in his words, no one is protected from "the brutal decisions of the courts," which have become routine. As an example, he mentioned the release of the driver responsible for the death of the former mayor of Cherven Bryag, Tsvetan Kostadinov, who lost his life on the same road that Siana lost hers.
Protesters briefly blocked the landmark Eagles' Bridge and placed 456 carnations on the roadway. "This is the number of people killed in traffic accidents last year," explained Petya Ivanova from the "Angels on the Road" Association. She noted that the flowers are in memory of all those who have lost their lives on the roads, not only in the past year.
Those present observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims of traffic accidents.
"We will leave the flowers there on the road so that cars pass over them, just as they passed over the souls of our loved ones, because this society needs to wake up and understand that no one is safe," said Ivanova. "We are here exactly for this reason, so that everyone can return home safely," she added.
"Among these flowers is also my child, who should have gone to school and should have had a chance to develop her creativity, but is now known for having been killed," said Siana's father, Nikolay Popov.
"We cannot wait for years for automotive technical reports while proven killers remain free," Ivanova told BTA. "We have repeatedly asked the Ministers of Health to provide psychological support for the relatives of the deceased," she added. Ivanova also noted that people with multiple traffic violations should work in hospitals, morgues, and care for accident victims, so that they can reflect on their actions. She stressed that work should also be done with students in grades 11 and 12, as many 12th graders already have driving licenses.
The protest, under the slogan "Enough Deaths on the Roads," began in front of the Judicial Palace and then continued with a march through the streets of Sofia to Orlov Bridge. People carrying photographs of their deceased relatives demanded justice and an end to the "war on the roads."
The assembled people thanked and applauded the officers from the Sofia Police Directorate, who stopped traffic at Eagles' Bridge to allow the protest action.
/VE/
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