Fake license scheme: 6,200 Bulgarians with Czech documents following corruption investigation

Illegal driver's license scheme uncovered in the Czech Republic

A phantom driving school in the Czech Republic has found itself at the center of a large-scale corruption investigation after it emerged that it served as an intermediary for the illegal acquisition of driver's licenses. Investigating authorities in Prague are vetting 16 individuals, including instructors and members of examination boards.

"The issuance of driver's licenses to these drivers is the subject of ongoing criminal proceedings," confirmed František Jemelka, spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic.

How did the scheme operate?

• Candidates paid between 4,000 and 5,000 euros for the "service."
• Witnesses claim that licenses were issued without any driving lessons or successfully passed exams.
• The scheme was primarily targeted at citizens from Eastern Europe.

The Bulgarian connection

Although Bulgarians make up only 2.2% of the total number of those under investigation, the statistics are alarming: over 6,200 Bulgarians currently hold driver's licenses issued in the Czech Republic. Road safety experts, such as Angel Popov from the European Center for Transport Policies, warn that many of these drivers feel "above the law" and pose a real danger on the road.

The investigation is ongoing, but experts point out that oversight in Bulgaria also needs urgent reforms, given the discrepancies in the data from many driving schools and the actual number of trained students.