site.btaInterior Minister Ilkov Meets with Representatives of Angels on Road Association

Meeting with Bulgaria’s Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov here on Monday, representatives of the Angels on the Road association demanded stricter punishment for road traffic offences, better enforcement of penalties, heavier fines, increased scrutiny, and the revocation of driving licences of chronic traffic offenders, among others, Ilkov’s Ministry said.

Parents who have lost their children in car accidents involving drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol demanded legal changes and tougher penalties for motorists who do not respect speed limits and put other people’s lives at risk. They stressed that the measure involving impounding of cars in driving-under-the-influence cases had been effective and should be kept in place, suggesting that it should also apply to speeding drivers. The parents of road traffic victims called for community service sentences for motorists who systematically violate the Road Traffic Act. The association's representatives strongly objected to proposed legal amendments that would allow 17-year-olds to obtain driving licences, albeit accompanied by an adult.

Minister Ilkov said that his Ministry is ready to do whatever is necessary to help address road traffic accidents and improve road safety. Participants in the talks identified key measures and joint initiatives aimed at minimizing road fatalities.

Also on Monday, local people and representatives of the Angels on the Road association gathered in front of the Palace of Justice in Sofia to demand a fair trial for 15-year-old Filip Arsov, who was killed in a car crash in downtown Sofia last year. Briefly blocking traffic, demonstrators demanded faster road accident examinations and more testing laboratories.

"All trials drag on for years. Although our trial started relatively quickly because the car accident examinations were completed promptly, the testimony of witnesses is causing delays. We relive the agony at every hearing, where we are forced to listen to how Filip’s killer revved the engine instead of slowing down at the pedestrian crossing, killing our child," Nikolina Petkova, mother of Filip Arsov, told reporters.

The protest was prompted by an upcoming hearing in Arsov’s case. The tragic accident occurred on September 2, 2023, at a pedestrian crossing in the capital. Investigators believe the driver, Petar Todorov, violated traffic laws by driving at 88 km/h in a 30 km/h zone at the time of the incident. According to the prosecution, Todorov also had a blood alcohol level of 2.1 per mille.