Controlled-access highway

There will be heavy traffic and heightened police presence on Bulgaria's motorways and main roads on Thursday afternoon as most people are embarking on their trips for the forthcoming Easter holiday, which will last between April 29 and May 2.

The last section of the mammoth ?zmit Bay Bridge, a key part of the Gebze-Orhangazi-?zmir Highway Project which will shorten the travel time between Istanbul and the Aegean city of ?zmir dramatically, was mounted in an official ceremony on April 21. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu attended the ceremony and mounted the last section of the bridge.  

Bulgaria's Road Infrastructure Agency has called a public tender for an electronic toll collection system that will replace the existing vignette stickers attached to the windshields, Dnevnik news daily has reported.

Heavy traffic is expected across Bulgaria on Sunday as the long weekend, which began on Thursday with the celebration of the country's national holiday (Liberation Day), is coming to an end.

According to estimates, a total of 330 000 Bulgarians left their homes to spend the holiday period somewhere else.

In an article published in The Guardian on Wednesday, Arthur Neslen, focuses on the construction of the Struma motorway in southwestern Bulgaria which is potentially threatening the wildlife in the Kresna gorge.

Bulgaria has terminated the process for the selection of a contractor for the construction of part of Hemus motorway due to lack of EU funding, the Regional Development Ministry said on Monday afternoon.

Farmers protesting against the government’s proposed plan for social security reforms escalate their protests actions and despite the bad weather they decide to continue blocking the roads.

On Friday they decided to close the motorway at Tempi Valley for 24 hours on Saturday, as they toughen their stance towards the government.

The 2015 vignette stickers for vehicles are no longer valid in Bulgaria as of Monday, February 01, authorities say.

Vignette stickers are mandatory for drivers using Bulgaria's motorways. They can be puchased from gas stations, post offices, retail chains, border crossings, and elsewhere.

Bulgaria's national weather service has issued yellow code alert for the country's entire territory over a potential risk of ice on the roads and strong winds along the Black Sea coast on Sunday.

The yellow code alert is the lowest degree of potentially hazardous weather on the three-degree scale of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH).

Abundant snowfall and heavy traffic are expected across Bulgaria on Sunday as the worsening of the weather conditions will coincide with the last day of the festive period when many people will be returning from their holidays.

A yellow code for snowfall has been issued for all regions of Bulgaria on Sunday, with forecasts predicting the formation of snow cover.