New Regulations on Seat Belts in Buses after Tragic Incident near Svoge

Sofia. Legislative texts on safety belts have been drafted and will be sent to the Parliament in September, Automobile Administration Agency Director Boyko Ranovski told Nova TV this morning. "The belt issue is very important, brought up after each serious accident, and there is no room for retreat anymore, the law must be changed," he said. The amendments have been drafted by the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications and the Automobile Administration Agency. The law will be amended for the safety of passengers, Ranovski said. "On buses where no seat belts can be installed, the seats will be replaced," he explained. In his words, there are 23,000 registered buses in the country, not all licenced for transport and some may be no longer in use. About 15,000 of the buses had their first registration before 2006, meaning they are less likely to have safety belts.
Asked if traffic police could close the road after Road Infrastructure Agency, the owner of the Sofia-Svoge section, notifies the road contractor about problems and that company takes no action, Ranovski said it was possible in coordination between Road Infrastructure Agency and traffic police. "That section is very busy, especially during weekends, and one of the dangerous road sections in the country," he said. In his words, if there is a problem in a road section, the permitted speed can be limited.

Focus News Agency