site.btaBTA Develops New System to Organize Information on Road Incidents, Traffic Conditions in Bulgaria

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is developing a new system for organizing information on road incidents and traffic conditions in Bulgaria, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev told a meeting of the Board of the National Association of Chairpersons of Municipal Councils in Bulgaria, held in Stara Zagora on Wednesday.

During the meeting, proposals for current amendments to the Road Traffic Act were presented by Commissioner Dimitar Michev, Head of the Traffic Police Department of General Directorate National Police, and his deputy, Commissioner Maria Boteva.

Valchev said that at the beginning of each month, BTA will publish a news report for every municipality containing information on the number of people killed or injured in road traffic accidents, allowing the public to grasp the scope of the issue at municipal level.

He said: "We are working with the traffic police and the Road Infrastructure Agency on a new system for organizing information on Bulgaria's roads, including repairs, road closures or traffic restrictions due to road works or accidents." He noted that all GPS systems currently rely on real-time reporting or user reporting, whereas BTA wants to provide people with the ability to plan their journeys well in advance, know which roads are closed, and plan their route on the day they travel.

"The idea is for BTA to provide a map that all media can use," Valchev said, adding that the initiative is not intended solely to enhance BTA's work. The plans are in their final stages and next year everyone will be able to plan their journeys based on this information.

"These are the two initiatives we aim to implement in 2026. As early as January, we hope to use these valuable data so people can see them where they live, and regional media can use them, since 'data' often feel distant to them," Valchev noted.

He added that current statistics on road fatalities and injuries are encouraging compared with the 1990s. "Bulgaria has made enormous progress. While attention is most often on accidents, it is important to recognize that road deaths have fallen more than threefold over the past 30 years. Adding a regional perspective will make this information even more impactful," BTA's General Director said.