Road safety

The police have terminated the registration of 185 vehicles in a week, reported the Interior Ministry. Most drivers were sanctioned for drink driving - 92 cases. In 71 cases, the drivers had no licences, while in 22 cases drug use was detected.

The new penalty entered into force two months ago but is applicable only to car owners.

Houses of Parliament after a car mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and a police officer was stabbed in the terrorist attack. 

 Scotland Yard's most senior counter-terror officer said up to 20 people were injured and a serving police officer was killed in the attack.

In a new initiative, Athenians fed up with the proliferation of potholes and dysfunctional traffic lights in the capital have teamed up with insurance company Hellas Direct.

Police registered more than 8000 offenses in just a week, half of them committed in the presence of an officer, the Interior Ministry says.

The statistics come as harsher penalties for violators came into effect on Saturday, January 21.

The registration plates of 30 vehicles have been taken off on the first day alone after the new harsher penalties stipulated in amendments to the Road Traffic Act entered into force, announced on bTV the deputy from the Reformist Bloc Nastimir Ananiev, who is also chairman of the Parliamentary Transport Committee.

The amendments to the Road Traffic Act which provide for new harsher penalties will enter in force on Saturday.

The fines for speeding in a residential area are as follows: when speeding at between 31km/h and 40 km/h the fine is BGN 400, for speeding over 40 km/h, the fine is BGN 600 and for speeding over 50 km/h - BGN 700.

Traffic of all vehicles along the Trakia highway in the direction of Burgas in the section of the hub Zimnitsa - Burgas has been restored.

Drivers must pay attention and stick to the speed limit of 80 km/h, warned the Road Infrastructure Agency.

Traffic of all vehicles through the Obzor pass has been restored as well.

More than 10,000 traffic violations have been sanctioned during the holidays, mostly speeding, driving under the influence, and failure to wear a seat belt.

This is according to Aleksandar Radenkovic of the Traffic Police, who added that approximately 500 drunk drivers were discovered over this period and excluded from traffic.

Chief Directorate National Police has called on drivers not to travel during the period January 5-7 unless it is extremely necessary, announced the press centre of the Interior Ministry.

Drivers who have had their license plates confiscated by police for minor offenses can reclaim them as of Monday, authorities said.

The decision was made to facilitate circulation during the holidays.

The rule does not apply to drivers who have committed serious offenses, such as driving under the influence, speeding, running a red light or driving an uninsured vehicle.