Interior Minister Daniel Mitov stated firmly that driving is not a right, but a privilege, and announced that lifetime revocation of driver’s licenses for drunk drivers in Bulgaria is under consideration. Specifically, licenses could be permanently revoked if a driver is found to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) above 1.2 per mille.

Speaking at a national meeting of the Ministry of Interior focused on road safety, Mitov emphasized that police presence on the roads must be highly visible and that enforcement actions against violators would be unyielding.

Mitov did not hold back his criticism of the National Coordination Center for Road Safety, describing it as a symptom of institutional stagnation that has developed over the past four years. According to him, when political instability leaves no clear direction for the administration, agencies act on autopilot. He described the center as having become essentially a second traffic police station, dominated solely by the Road Police.

Additional measures are also under review. A meeting involving several ministers is scheduled to address issues related to the State Traffic Inspectorate’s toll system and efforts by the Ministry of Electronic Governance. Mitov said the aim is to ensure that drivers are notified swiftly of violations.

Following a direct call to action by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in light of the growing number of road accidents, Mitov confirmed a focus on increasing fines and boosting police presence as immediate steps.

He was unequivocal about the need to keep dangerous drivers off the roads, stating that legislation must be rethought to address the problem effectively. The possibility of lifetime license revocation for drivers caught with a BAC above 1.2 per mille is among the options being explored in collaboration with members of parliament and relevant professionals.

The director of the National Police General Directorate, Zahari Vaskov, added that the specific measures remain confidential for now to ensure the effectiveness of enforcement. However, he did reveal that deploying unmarked police vehicles would be part of the strategy to improve road safety and crack down on aggressive drivers.

Mitov concluded by emphasizing that alternative approaches to issuing fines are being considered to strengthen the impact of penalties and ensure that the most dangerous offenders are permanently removed from the roads.