Attorney General of Bulgaria Ivan Geshev proposed more severe punishment for drivers under the influence who have caused death or an injury. Geshev suggests the legislation change to apply for drivers with over 2 ppm of alcohol in the blood, under the influence of drugs or in cases of speeding with more than 50 km/h over the speed limit.
Geshev’s spokeswoman Siyka Mileva announced during the regular virus briefing of the Bulgarian virus taskforce that Attorney General Geshev sent the proposal to the PM, Speaker of Parliament and to all committee chairs of the parliament.
Geshev proposes in his letter the minimum sentence for killer drivers under the influence to be increased by 5 years to 20 years or a lifetime in prison.
The announcement comes after Bulgarian journalist and TV host Milen Tsvetkov was killed in a car accident involving a drugged driver on Easter Day.
Mileva said that Geshev also suggests vehicles involved in such accidents, belonging to drivers with more than 1,2 ppm alcohol in the blood or involved in any other intent crimes to be confiscated.
A special task force will monitor if all court decisions are aligned with the proposed changes.
Geshev will continue to work for more severe punishments for DUI drivers in general as the public has on numerous occasions expressed its concerns with the very little consequences for the killer drivers on the roads of the country.
Among the most common violations involved in car accidents in Bulgaria include the use of alcohol or drugs, speeding or driving without a driving license. The number of court cases in the country has increased from 90 in 2015 to 3,000 by the end of 2019.
