site.btaRoad Safety Institute Urges President to Veto Amendments to Road Traffic Act

The Road Safety Institute on Monday urged President Rumen Radev to exercise his right to veto amendments to the Road Traffic Act, adopted by the National Assembly at second reading last week.

Under some of the adopted changes, municipal and toll system cameras will monitor speeding. According to the adopted provisions, the maximum speed limit for cars on motorways remains unchanged at 140 km/h, and on expressways, 120 km/h.

The Institute is calling for the law to be returned for further discussion. It has sent President Radev an analysis.

In its position, the Institute states that the latest amendments to the Road Traffic Act “are not a reform, but a dangerous legislative experiment at the expense of Bulgarian citizens. Instead of solving long-standing problems, these provisions create new absurdities, turning the law into a trap for drivers and a source of revenue for the administration.” Regarding the newly introduced concept of “average speed,” the Institute describes it as “unclear” and essentially a source of “guaranteed fines.”

The analysis highlights that a sanction is being introduced for exceeding the so-called “average speed” in a “specific section of road,” and claims the relevant provision is “deliberately incomplete and creates significant legal uncertainty.” According to the Road Safety Institute, the law does not clarify who will define these road sections, how will they be designated so that drivers know they are in a controlled zone, or how will the average speed be calculated if the section includes multiple speed limits (e.g., 90 km/h, followed by 60 km/h due to road repair work, then back to 90 km/h).

The Institute also points out that the amendments allow municipalities to install their own cameras and to collect 50% of the fines issued. They argue this is “a recipe for abuse, as it creates a direct financial incentive for municipalities,” without improving road safety.

They insist that as long as no one is held accountable for poor road conditions, missing road markings, and inadequate signs, the blame will continue to fall solely on the driver.