Slavi Vasilev called the Traffic Police himself to be fined for illegal parking

Member of Parliament from "Progressive Bulgaria" Slavi Vasilev himself reported to the traffic police to be issued a fine for illegal parking, after a photo of his car appeared on social media and sparked public outrage.

Parking in a prohibited place and the reaction online

On Saturday, Vasilev parked his personal "Porsche" car in a prohibited place on "San Stefano" street in Sofia, near the BNT building.

Footage of the improperly parked car was quickly posted on social media, where users reported the violation and commented on it sharply.

The call to the Traffic Police and the voluntarily accepted fine

After seeing the first posts, the MP decided to contact the traffic police to be sanctioned through official channels.

"Today I parked incorrectly and this became a public topic. Since I had already left when I saw the first publication, and so that there are no doubts that I am using any benefits as a member of parliament – I would even say it is quite the opposite – I contacted the "Traffic Police" and arranged with the officer on duty to return to the scene of the violation so that a traffic police team could formally record it," Vasilev later wrote on "Facebook".

According to him, a fine slip, series GT No. 20322370, in the amount of 25.56 euros, was issued to him on the spot.

"The truth is that the responsibility of being a member of parliament from "Progressive Bulgaria" and carrying the expectation for change means that you do not have the right to even the smallest mistakes," he added in his post.

Not a precedent: the party leader was also fined

Slavi Vasilev is not the only representative of "Progressive Bulgaria" fined for illegal parking.

A fine for illegal parking on election day was also received by the leader of the formation, Rumen Radev, which was later paid in due course.

While casting his vote in the parliamentary elections on April 19, Radev complained publicly about the difficulty of finding a parking space in the area of the school where his polling station was located.

Symbolism and public image

The case of Slavi Vasilev brings back to the agenda the topic of the behavior of public figures and the expectation for them to follow the rules without exceptions.

His voluntary call to the Traffic Police and the public sharing of the fine slip on social media can be read both as an attempt to take responsibility and as an endeavor to limit the political damage from the circulated photos.

The parking scandal also shows something else – in an environment where social media reacts instantly to every transgression, even "minor" violations of the rules by MPs and leaders become a test of how much their words about change match their actions in everyday life.