Speaking about the deadly bus disaster in Bulgaria, VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski said that it was the end result of pervasive corruption and criminal conduct in the country and the failure of state institutions to perform basic checks and inspections.

We avoided public comments over the three day period of mourning after the unfortunate event, and I would like to again express my condolences to the families of the killed. This event is a continuation of the display of crime and corruption and the failure of our institutions, that began with the bus accident near Laskarci (in 2019), where the investigation was left incomplete, and continued with blaming an extension cable for the fire in the modular hospital in Tetovo, Mickoski said.

The opposition leader added that VMRO-DPMNE calls for immediate examination of all buses that are in use at the moment, and that new rules are introduced, that will mandate three or four examinations per year, depending on how old the vehicle is. The cost for these tests would be covered by the public budget, Mickoski added. “This needs to begin immediately”, Mickoski said, while calling for the Government ministers in charge of transportation to resign.