Family and friends of Yoana, 16, and Ivan, 17, who died in a crash near Mezdra, held a peaceful protest in Vratsa. They oppose the driver's request for a lighter restraint measure, Ivan's mother Maria Tsolova told BNT.

The protest was held under the slogan "Ivan and Yoana are in our hearts".

The Vratsa regional court rejected the accused's request for house arrest on 1 October. He is a 21-year-old man from Mezdra who has had a driving licence for five years. He has appealed to the Court of Appeal in Sofia, which has not yet ruled.

The crash happened on 25 June. Yoana, from Zgorigrad, and Ivan, from Mezdra, were riding a scooter when a car swerved into the oncoming lane and hit it. Two other young men were in the car with the driver.

Tsolova said the families took to the streets to show they remember their children and are fighting for justice. She said the house arrest request provoked the families, since the evidence is clear.

"All those dreams and plans you had with your child suddenly die, but you remember them," Ivan's mother said.

She said the investigators and the Vratsa regional prosecutor's office have so far worked with great professionalism, and the families are very pleased. The legal system should work like the local institutions, she said. "Because drivers who drive recklessly and kill must know there are consequences," Tsolova added.

The families will press for a fair trial. The case is expected to reach court soon.