site.bta14 Infringement Procedures against Bulgaria Underway in Field of Environment

There are 14 infringement procedures against Bulgaria in the area of environment, said Silvia Rangelova of the Environment Ministry during Thursday's meeting of the parliamentary environment committee. Replying to a question by MP Dzevdet Chakur of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, she said that the European Commission is expected to close many of them. According to Rangelova, the Environment Ministry is reporting constantly on the progress of the implementation of the recommendations.

Currently there is no risk of court proceedings for payment of sanctions, she said. Rangelova said that Bulgaria won't pay any sanctions under the procedure for increased particulate matter. Bulgaria has problems with the levels of sulfur dioxide too, which didn't comply with the norm last year, she said.

Rangelova said that an infringement procedure about Kaliakra, which has reached the Court of Justice, is expected to be closed this autumn.

Bulgaria has been sentenced to pay sanctions over the old municipal landfills which were closed in 2017. There are only two municipalities whose recultivation projects have to be completed, Dupnitsa and Pirdop, the expert said.