Bulgaria to centralize road safety and traffic monitoring

The Bulgarian government has approved a comprehensive road safety reform plan aimed at centralizing traffic data and enforcement. Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced the creation of a unified national body to manage information, which will be integrated into the Executive Agency Automobile Transport Operator. This new system will consolidate real-time data from various sources, including the toll system, municipal cameras, police body cameras, and various road sensors.

The reform seeks to eliminate the current fragmentation of data across multiple institutions. The unified platform will be accessible to emergency services, the 112 emergency number, customs, and forestry officials to assist in monitoring cargo and preventing illegal logging.

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev stated that the reform will allow police teams to conduct more complex inspections by receiving violator data from toll cameras directly on their tablets. Proposed legislative changes to the Road Traffic Act will also allow electronic records to be used as evidence for certain violations. The reform, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, aims to increase safety, optimize revenue collection for the state, and improve enforcement efficiency.