Vladimir Pivovarov, the Zaev Government’s coordinator for border management, shocked the public with a comment in which he partially blamed the passengers of the Besa Trans company for the disaster in Bulgaria that killed 45 people.

In an interview with TV24, Pivovarov said that the passengers should have checked the company, whether it has a license and meets other regulatory criteria. The company was stripped of its license after it was found that the bus that crashed and burnt down on Tuesday morning was not registered for international travel.

Did any of the citizens ask if this vehicle has an interbus license? I don’t think so. The institutions have responsibility, but also do the citizens, Pivovarov said.

The comment caused outrage and demands for his resignation. The failure of institutions such as the one led by Pivovarov to conduct the necessary checks on bus operators is seen as one of the main factors that led to the disaster.