Speed limit enforcement

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.

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.

The Traffic Police department of the Sofia police directorate will propose changes to the Penal Code and the Road Traffic Act aimed at strengthening sanctions for violations.

The proposal envisages the criminalization of speeding, drink-driving, and driving without a license.

Between August 10 and 16, a total of 172 heavy road accidents took place in Bulgaria, claiming the lives of 23 people and injuring 222 people.

This is revealed by the figures of the National Police General Directorate, which was published by the Interior Ministry.

Hundreds of Bulgarian drivers will be joining the battle against violators of road traffic rules. Selected cars will be equipped with free cameras and will thus be providing information to roadside police officers.

The Public Order Ministry on Thursday announced that drivers who have had their licenses or number plates revoked for minor traffic violations committed up until Friday can get them back after paying the accompanying fine.

Bulgaria's traffic police will not pull over motorists for speeding and all contacts between drivers and police on the road will be filmed.

This are the two main measures against traffic police corruption, presented by Bulgaria's Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov at a press conference on Tuesday in Sofia.

In 2014 the number of casualties in traffic accidents in Bulgaria will most likely exceed 600, the chairperson of the Association of car accident victims Vladimir Todorov told the Focus news agency.

Since the beginning of the year on Bulgaria's roads died 571 people and more than 7000 have been injured, according to data of Bulgaria's Interior Ministry.