Many crashes in Bulgaria are blamed on the corruption among driving instructors. Photo by BGNES
Bulgarians who fail their driver's license tests usually purchase the licenses for about EUR 650, or BGN 1300, revealed a senior driving instructor.
Yonko Ivanov, who is the head of the Union of Driving Instructors, said in Veliko Tarnovo Saturday that about 30% of all driver's licenses in Bulgaria are acquired through corruption, BNR reported.
Ivanov pointed out that the corruption allowed each instructor to make daily the equivalent of a monthly pay of a Bulgarian Member of Parliament, i.e. at least BGN 1000-2000.
He did express hopes that the introduction of video observation in driving test facilities as of October 1, 2010, should help crack down on much of the corruption.
At the same time, however, Ivanov fears that many instructors will quit their jobs if they have to earn "only" their legal montly salary, which is about BGN 500, a sum most of them currently make in a few hours by taking bribes.
Bulgaria has been plagued by horrific traffic accidents in past years causing many deaths, and most of those are believed to be resulting from the inadequate control over the training of the drivers.