Bulgaria has temporarily stopped accepting applications for the accelerated issue and replacement of driving licences. The interruption announced on 4 November is linked to a problem outside the country in RESPER, the European network used to exchange driving-licence information.
The notice covers the accelerated service specifically. It does not announce a suspension of every licensing service, and it gives no date for restoring this application route. Acceptance is to resume once the external problem has been resolved.
Why an overseas system matters
RESPER connects national licensing authorities so they can verify information across borders. It supports checks on existing licences and helps prevent a person from obtaining more than one licence. The network is part of the administrative infrastructure behind a document that drivers usually encounter only at a local counter.
This makes the disruption more than a printing delay. A cross-border verification step can affect the timetable for a domestic application even when the problem originates elsewhere. The ministry's announcement does not identify a cyberattack, a data breach or a particular country responsible for the fault.
What applicants should check
For anyone facing an expiry date or arranging a journey, the practical question is which application service is currently available. Before travelling to a counter or relying on an accelerated turnaround, applicants should check the current Traffic Police notice and confirm the options for their individual case.
An application deadline, an appointment and a document's validity are different matters. The suspension notice should not be treated as an automatic extension of an expiring licence. Nor should a planned restoration time be assumed until the ministry announces one.
