Traffic police in Sofia have deployed six CCTV-equipped patrol vehicles around the city's streets, boulevards and key entry points, secretly filming offenders at random.

Patrols are especially active during the current holiday period but will continue to operate with a heightened intensity until the end of May.

The authorities are expecting an increase in violations during prom night celebrations scheduled for the latter half of May. "We will be conducting surveillance this year. We currently have six patrol cars which operate without fixed routes – they will be all over Sofia," said the chief inspector of the traffic police in Sofia, Vanyo Stoevski, as quoted by Trud daily.

Stoevski explained that two additional stationary radars will be installed at two of Sofia's main boulevards. "As of January 1 2009, a total of 52 093 violations were recorded by the operational CCTV's and stationary radars in Sofia. Of those, 10 560 have resulted in fines," Stoevski said.

A traffic police spokesperson said that in light of the increase in traffic on May 6 and on Thursday, "special measures will be undertaken to ensure safety, surveillance will be heightened and everyone will be on full alert. The road to Pernik will be subjected to a special "regime" because we expect particularly heavy traffic from there," he said, as quoted by Gradski.bg

"An additional lane will be opened for vehicles entering Sofia, making it a total of three, with cars leaving Sofia only having one lane," he said.

Patrols have been asked to observe a zero tolerance policy towards heavy offenders and dangerous drivers.

"Administrative and penalising tasks will be relegated to secondary importance on the final day of the holiday. We will concentrate specifically on regulating the incoming tidal wave of vehicles," said Stoevski.

"However, those observed executing gross violations (dangerous overtaking, crossing a red light) and those prone to risk driving or driving under the influence of alcohol will be heavily sanctioned," he said.