French magazine names Siyana’s father as Bulgaria’s ‘Person of the Year’

The French magazine Le Courrier des Balkans has named 13 people from across the Balkans as its Heroes of 2025. Bulgaria’s Person of the Year is Nikolay Popov, the father of 12-year-old Siyana, who was killed in a car accident.

Siyana’s death on 31 March 2025 sparked mass protests over reckless driving and the poor state of the country’s roads. Popov has been described as a “fighter against road rage”.

The stretch of road near Telish where Siana died is a frequent site of accidents, particularly involving heavy goods vehicles, and had seen no improvements prior to the protests. The magazine noted that it was only after public pressure that the government began partial repairs. Bulgaria has the highest road mortality rate in Europe, prompting local media to describe it as a “war on the roads”.

Following his daughter’s death, Popov has become an activist campaigning against the “war”, calling for safer roads and stricter traffic enforcement.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova
Posted in English by E. Radkova