Kalin Stoyanov, an MP from the DPS party and a former interior minister, has called for the immediate resignation of everyone responsible for the chain of crashes on the Trakia motorway near the Zimnitsa junction in Yambol region. He posted his statement on the Facebook page "DPS press centre".
Prime minister Rumen Radev cancelled his programme in Varna and today's cabinet meeting because of the crashes.
See also: Radev scraps Varna programme after serious crash on Trakia motorway
Sliven regional governor Mihail Kasherov says more than 70 vehicles were involved and more than 10 people died. Stoyanov writes of nearly 50 vehicles, and elsewhere in his statement of more than 50. He calls the case unprecedented and asks whether anyone will take responsibility.
Stoyanov aimed his attack at interior minister Ivan Demerdzhiev. He says the minister is fantasising and "rambling on", and hints that bomb warnings in Europe, lately on planes, become more frequent whenever Demerdzhiev releases information about someone in Bulgaria. Instead, Stoyanov says, Demerdzhiev should face the reality of the serious crashes.
"Now I expect the two namesake Ivanovs to pass the blame to each other over who failed to cover the stretch with the necessary teams and signs, and why," Stoyanov wrote.
He also commented on the alert system launched after the crashes. It is a national early warning system, but it should be "a tool for prevention, not a means to scare people after the events", the MP says.
Stoyanov also gave figures on road deaths in Bulgaria. Since the start of the year 433 people have died, against 384 in the same period last year, or 49 more. He blames the rise on incompetent management by the ministries, agencies and services in charge of road safety.
If the trend continues, this year will be the first in several years with such a big rise in deaths, Stoyanov says. In the MP's words, the interior ministry has suffered a decisive defeat in the war on the roads.