The Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, has sent an official letter to the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria. The reason for the correspondence is the provision of free public transport for children up to 14 years of age.

The intervention was prompted by frequent cases where electronic cards issued in one municipality are not recognized by control systems in others due to "technical incompatibility." To avoid such difficulties, the Minister insists that local authorities comply with the regulation to also issue the cards in paper format.

Paper cards allow for visual verification by ticket inspectors anywhere in the country, regardless of the system used by the carrier. According to the ministry's data, approximately 900,000 children in Bulgaria are eligible for free travel, with over 172,000 cards issued annually.

The Executive Agency "Road Transport Administration" has already sent a series of instructions to the municipalities throughout 2026. These measures follow identified issues regarding the use of cards outside the municipality where they were issued.