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© Julia Lazarova
Car instructors from across the country blocked the square in front of the former royal palace in Sofia around 1 pm today. This caused a serious traffic jam on Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. between Georgi Rakovski St. and Vasil Levski Blvd.
The instructors protest against a draft ordinance that affects the training of drivers. The document was prepared by the Ministry of Transportation and published for public discussion. The new texts stipulate that all instructors work under an employment contract with training companies, that the training cars are owned or rented by the schools, and that all documentation is in electronic format, uploaded to an information system.
© Julia Lazarova
According to the instructors, this will create additional costs and inconvenience. They also believe that there is a possibility of corrupt practices. Their demands are the immediate download of the ordinance from the portal for public consultations, a meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and the resignation of Deputy Minister of Transport Angel Popov.
The ordinance is incomplete, everyone can interpret it however they want, it is the opinion of the instructors. According to them, the decision is less interference from the State in their activities. “If we don’t prepare the students well, as they say, why are the examiners letting you in and giving them books?” They argued. According to the organizers, there are about 1,100 cars in and around the square, and 250 are parked in the surrounding streets, as there is no space for them.
After refusing to meet with the head of the Automobile Administration Executive Agency (IAAA), Boyko Ranovski, because they demanded a conversation with the Minister of Transport, the protesters addressed the Cabinet, blocking traffic on Dondukov Blvd. They insist on a meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. The protesters announced that if their demands were not met, they would resort to civil disobedience.
© Georgi Paunovski
The authorities: obviously they don’t want dialogue
The Executive Agency “Automotive Administration”, which controls the work of driving schools, does not agree with the criticism. According to them, the main reason for the resistance is the State’s desire to expose this business.
In front of journalists, Boyko Ranovski commented that dialogue is clearly not being sought. “The ordinance is under discussion. We are awaiting your substantiated requests and will discuss them,” he said. According to Ranovski, the instructors’ proposals are even included in the draft ordinance.
© Georgi Paunovski
A coffin was placed in front of the building of the Executive Agency “Automobile Administration”, which symbolizes the burial of the branch.
The accusations that the changes are made in order to benefit a company that will make the information system, responded with the words that the development of all those systems in the country is assigned by “Information Services” and the agency has no role. in the process. Ranovski explained that the purpose of the introduction of electronic documentation is to be able to easily verify which student took how many hours, where he drove, etc.
The insistence that all instructors have a work contract argues that in this way all the activities of the companies will be exposed. In addition, for him, such a responsible activity must be carried out by people who only dedicate themselves to this, and not, as now, to give lessons along the way.
When asked how much the price of an amateur book course should be, Ranovski expressed the opinion that the amounts of BGN 500-600 are not normal.
