Author: Mr. Bojidar Danev, Executive President of the BIA
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On the 9th of February 2007 in an article, named “Trakia becomes paid by September 2009” “Sega” newspaper quotes a proposal for introduction of electronic vignette system because “the traditional toll costs way more because of the barriers, staff and additional terrains, investments and so on”.
Five years later, on the 29th of March 2012 a press release from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works I am left with the impression that the administration is finally mature enough to apply modern technology in the financing of big projects with public resources. According to the above mentioned press release the then (and now) minister of regional development Lilyana Pavlova said that in 2015 (!!!) the GPS-based toll system for the highways will be ready to use.
Today, two years after the declared by Minister Pavlova deadline, the construction of the GPS-based toll system hasn’t been started and it is unknown who and by what conditions will be building it. The only thing that is made clear is that the construction will cost BGN 200 million, excluding VAT.
Furthermore, on the 7th of November 2016 in the State Gazette was published Decree № 291 of the Council of Ministers for adopting the Ordinance on the conditions and procedures for collecting fees for the use of road infrastructure according to the Road Traffic Law. According to the Ordinance (Art. 5, para 1) “the payment of taxes happens on the checkpoints before or after passing through the transport facilities”.
To summarize what has been said so far, 10 years after the proposal for an electronic vignette system, those, who are responsible for the solution of this matter are dancing like “one step forward – two steps back”. First they talk about GPS technology and then – about checkpoints.
During this time, Hungary, for example, has successfully introduced a toll system, but Bulgaria remains without a modern way of traffic tax management.
Only in our country vignette fees apply not only to highways, but also to second- and third-class interurban roads, which hinders mobility, economic competitiveness and is an anti-social phenomenon as a whole.
Only in our country vignette fees aren’t valid from date to date but are due to be paid for a calendar year (from the 1st of January to the 31st of December), because it is easier for the administration.
Only in our country vignette fees are applicable for a week, a month and, notice this – a year. There are no 3- or 6-month vignettes. The goal of the administration is not to cater for the business and citizens, but to conduct administrative racketeering for the sake of higher budget income.
In the age of modern technology, the Bulgarian administration creates regulations, suitable for a time gone by. Because of this method citizens and business are losing. The state loses as well, our community loses. The most important thing, however, is that we lose the opportunity for an accelerated development and we are still lagging behind other European countries.
