site.btaTransport Minister to Propose Tenfold Increase in Passenger Service Fines for Airlines, Ground Operators

Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov said Thursday that on September 4 he will introduce amendments to the Civil Aviation Act, which will increase fines for airlines and ground operators tenfold, after reports of irregularities in passenger service at Vasil Levski Airport were received this month. In an interview with Nova Television, he added that his proposal for tenfold fines will be submitted to the parliamentary Committee on Transport and expressed confidence that there will be MPs who will support it, and that it will be submitted to the plenary.

Regarding the tragic parasailing accident in Nessebar, Karadjov commented that the safety regulations of attraction services are currently being incorporated into general legislation. "We are introducing criminal liability for the first time," Karadjov added. He commented that at present it is very difficult to hold those arrested for the incident in Nessebar accountable because there is no such legally regulated activity.

Regarding the division of passenger rail services into separate lots and the possibility of private companies, including European ones, participating in rail transport in the country, Minister Karadjov commented that there is not much interest in Bulgarian railways. To date,only three licensed Bulgarian passenger rail transport operators have showed such, he said. Karadjov announced that the tender was published on Wednesday in the electronic system and will be published in the EU's official journal on Friday.