Interiot Minister Rument Petkov was far from happy with the new poles with infrared sensors. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
The poles with infrared sensors that were installed on Sofia's Graf Ignatiev Street, turning it to pedestrian zone provoked a fuss in the Interior Ministry on Friday.
The problem, according to Interior Minister Rumen Petkov, whose state body is also in charge of the traffic police, is that the Sofia Municipality and Mayor Boyko Borisov did not even informed the ministry on what they were up to and did not coordinate their decision with the ministry.
The poles with infrared sensor were installed on Thursday; barriers were installed earlier, to prevent the passing of cars on the street, so that it can turn into a car-free pedestrian zone.
Only the trams, the ambulances, the fire brigades' trucks and the police will be allowed to pass and on Friday the Sofia Municipality sent them remote controls with which to lift the barriers.
"This is some sort of amateur initiative", Minister Petkov said at a conference dedicated to crime prevention methods.