SOFIA (Bulgaria): Eleven people were killed and dozens injured in a massive multi-vehicle pileup on a fog-shrouded motorway in south-eastern Bulgaria on Tuesday, highlighting the country’s persistent road safety problems.
The crash involved about 50 cars and lorries travelling in both directions along the highway connecting the capital, Sofia, with the Black Sea city of Burgas. It occurred near Yambol, where emergency services found overturned vehicles, wrecked lorries and several burnt-out cars.
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said a sudden deterioration in weather conditions was believed to have caused the pileup. Visibility had fallen from between 70 and 80 metres to about 10 metres within a short period.
The Health Ministry confirmed that 10 people died at the scene, while another victim died after being taken to hospital. A total of 51 people were admitted to hospitals in nearby cities, including 13 in critical condition.
The government deployed two aircraft equipped with stretchers and medical teams to assist with emergency evacuations. Prime Minister Rumen Radev cancelled his scheduled engagements to visit the scene, while President Iliana Iotova expressed condolences.
However, road safety campaigners questioned why the motorway had not been closed earlier. Bogdan Milchev, chairman of the Road Safety Institute, blamed the authorities for failing to prevent vehicles from entering the dangerous stretch.
Demerdzhiev said the government was working to install electronic display screens on toll gantries to warn motorists about hazardous conditions.
Bulgaria recorded 71 road deaths per million inhabitants in 2025, the highest rate in the European Union. A total of 456 people died in road accidents that year, although the figure was five per cent lower than in 2024.
Experts have attributed the country’s high accident rate to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads, an inefficient justice system and an ageing vehicle fleet. Around half of registered cars are more than 20 years old.
The tragedy also comes as the EU works towards halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030, a target that many member states are struggling to meet. – AFP
