Traffic to Sofia's neighbourhood areas of Bankya, Kremikovtzi, Pancharevo and Novi Iskar will be free of road toll tickets (so-called vignettes).

After a meeting of Sofia Mayor Boyko Borisov with Regional Development Minister Assen Gagauzov, the two officials said the dispute on the issue whether residents in these neighbourhoods should pay road tolls or not is now history.

The Roads Act provides that all drivers pay highway tolls per distance, as well as another tolls for moving through bridges, tunnels and other separate transport facilities.

Geographically, the four suburban areas are outside the road-belt of Sofia, which is considered to be the capital city's boundaries. However, local residents protested against a decision of the Road Authority to charge them road tolls for travelling to the city.

The construction of the highway stretch will be financed by the Regional Development Ministry, Assen Gagauzov said.

Mayor Borissov and Minister Gagauzov discussed also the completion of the southern-stretch of the Sofia-embracing highway, which would extend it to these suburbs as well. The extension of Sofia subway was also on the agenda of talks.