Radio Bulgaria asked the expert from the National TOLL Administration Georgi Balabanov what local and foreign citizens and haulers should know when they travel to or through the territory of this country and what is the most appropriate toll product for the traffic in transit:

The route map is the most suitable and convenient toll service for the traffic in transit. It is paid in advance. Before purchasing the route map drivers must choose their route through Bulgaria. At the border crossings, they can buy route map at self-service terminals or at special pay desks, where they can pay cash. In order to facilitate the traffic in transit, we have opened 34 new points of sale at the border checkpoints. We trained the staff employed at these points of sale and most of them know foreign languages. We have prepared the shortest, fastest and cheapest routes from one border checkpoint to another, so drivers do not waste much time. To buy a route map, people must enter the registration plate of their vehicle, their nationality, the category of the vehicle (between 3.5 and 12 tons and above 12 tons), the Euro emission class of the vehicle and the number of axles.

Associate Professor Balabanov warns that drivers must be very careful when entering data, especially the information from their registration plate.. People often fail to distinguish the letter o from 0. "They must be aware of these details, because if they enter wrong information when buying route map, they will get sanctioned later and fines are not small at all."

In 2020 cars will continue to travel with electronic vignettes whose price remains unchanged. Expert Balabanov added that the European Council has been discussing amendments to Directive 62 in connection with possible charging of passenger cars based on the distance travelled. However, these changes are subject to long debates. 2030 is the year when these amendments may be enforced, but until then drivers of passenger vehicles will continue using vignette, or in other words, they will continue paying time-based charges-daily vignette (EUR 5), weekly (EUR 7.50), monthly (EUR 15) and year vignettes (EUR 50).

Should drivers worry about their personal data when buying electronic vignettes or toll products?

No. There is no need to worry at all, because the self-service terminals do not store any personal data. Payments at these terminals are made only by bank cards (debit, credit or fuel cards). The toll system itself only stores information about the registration plate and the country of registration.

Route maps can be purchased on the web site of BgToll.bg and its mobile application, on Vinetki.bg, TollPass.bg, DigiToll.bg web sites, as well as on the pay desks of the Bulgarian mobile operators, Bulgarian Posts, Easypay and via the cash terminals of InterCapital Group.

The electronic enforcement was laucnhed on February 17. Violators travelling without electronic vignette or toll tax who are not stopped and sanctioned by the road toll police will receive an electronic ticket. They will be given 14 days to pay compensatory fee ranging between EUR 75 and EUR 375 for the cargo vehicles. If they fail to pay the compensatory fee on time, the law enforcement authorities will issue them a fine to the tune of EUR 900. Those who declare incorrect data will pay EUR 1,250.

Yesterday, the Bulgarian government held another extraordinary meeting with representatives of the transport sector. It became clear that not all cargo vehicles and busses are equipped with the necessary on-board units and GPS trackers. This must happen until March 27 at the latest. Until then, during the so-called transition period, all cargo vehicles and busses will use route maps.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov