A Bulgarian tourist injured after a bear attack in Romania has spoken publicly for the first time, describing how the animal tried to drag him from his vehicle during an encounter on a well-known mountain route that has gained international attention, BNT reported.
The man, identified as Georgi Bizhev from Gorna Oryahovitsa and head of a sports and technical commission within the BFU Zonal Council in Veliko Tarnovo, recounted the incident during an appearance on BNT. The attack occurred while he was traveling through the so-called “bear pass,” a road famous for frequent wildlife sightings.
Bizhev said the trip was part of a longer journey with a friend. “A few days ago, on Wednesday, my friend and I went to watch the Champions League final in Budapest. And like every year, we go through the so-called bear pass,” he explained, adding that he had driven the route many times before.
He described the area as one where close encounters with bears are widely expected and even encouraged. According to him, visitors regularly stop along the road to observe and feed the animals. “All the people who go through this passage go there just to see the bears,” he said, noting that food for wildlife is sold at multiple stops along the route.
