[size=50:hpz9qho8]Sofia Echo 6th Jan 2013
Foreigners fail driving licence test in Bulgaria
Foreigners fail first driving test in English
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None of the foreigners who took the first Bulgarian driving licence test in English passed.
On May 2 the first ever test for foreigners in a language other than Bulgarian took place in Sofia at the premises of Rosen 85 driving school.
Volodya Kirov, head of the Transport Ministry's motor vehicle administration executive agency, attended the exam and checked the translated version of the 800 multiple-choice questions, ministry media office head Tanya Tsekova told The Sofia Echo.
A total of 10 foreigners had applied to take the test, but only six turned up on the day of the exam, Tsekova said.
Only five foreigners were allowed to take the test. One was disbarred because his lichna karta (Bulgarian identity card) had expired. Out of the five foreigners, four failed to pass the theory test and only one reached the second stage of the exam. This "
sole survivor"
failed the practical test.
The foreigner who had passed the theory test could make another attempt at the practical test, within 40 days and after four additional hours of driving lessons, Tsekova said.
The other four foreigners will have to follow the same routine as on May 2.
"
All of the foreigners who appeared on May 2 were Indian citizens from Kremikovtsi steel plant, near Sofia, (owned by the Indian tycoon Pramod Mital),"
Tsekova said.
On May 4, The Sofia Echo quoted Transport Minister Petar Moutafchiev, who told Bulgarian-language 24 Chassa daily that the first driving licence test in English would take place in a few days. As it turned out, the tests were on the very same day that Moutafchiev was speaking. The ministry declined to comment on the discrepancy between Moutafchiev's words and what actually happened.
The Sofia Echo spoke to Krassimir Georgiev, head of Rosen 85 driving school where the Indians took their lessons.
"
We have a lot of people calling and asking about how to prepare and take the driving exam in English,"
Georgiev said. "
A colleague and I speak English and this helps with communication during the lessons,"
he said.
In the case of the Kremikovtsi staff, who come from a country with right-hand drive cars while in Bulgaria driving is on the right-hand side of the road, Georgiev said "
yes, the Indians had some difficulties getting used to our way of driving, but in the course of the lessons this was overcome, so this is not a problem"
.
Georgiev said that he was pleased with the Transport Ministry's efforts to translate the questions into English. "
There are other learning materials also translated into English so foreigners should have no problems attending the test."
The full course includes 24 hours of driving lessons and 40 hours of theory.
Georgiev said that the average price for the most common driving licence, category B (which allows you to drive a regular motor car) starts from 400 leva.
"
Some of the Indians who took the lessons with us had some special requirements and for them the price went up,"
he said. For example, for a Bulgarian taking the test, the cost is about 450 leva, which means that prices for Bulgarians and foreigners do not differ that much.
The only condition that a foreigner must meet to apply for the test is to have permanent residence status in Bulgaria. The test can be taken at any driving school that provides lessons for foreigners. The Transport Ministry and its motor vehicle administration executive agency have no obligations in organising the tests or the lessons. A foreigner wanting to take the test must find a suitable driving school licensed by the ministry. A test is organised as soon as there are enough applicants to form a group. The test takes place on the premises of the driving school.
Currently, the law says that a foreigner may drive a vehicle in Bulgaria with a driving licence issued by the foreigner's home country for up to one year since the foreigner's date of entry to Bulgaria. Foreigners caught driving in Bulgaria with expired driving licences may be fined up to 20 leva. The fine is supposed to be increased at some point this year.