site.btaSofia Mayor: Waste Crisis is Yet Another One We Will Overcome
“The situation with the waste is another crisis that we will overcome,” Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev told journalists as he joined a volunteer clean-up campaign in the Lyulin residential area together with Deputy Mayor for Ecology Nadezhda Bobcheva on Saturday.
“Waste will not be the reason why I leave the Town Hall,” Terziev said. According to him, it is a matter of choice—whether you want to be a victim and complain about how difficult the circumstances are, or whether you simply “roll up your sleeves” and show that with joint efforts problems can be solved.
“I reacted a bit emotionally based on what is happening in Lyulin and the unwillingness of the local mayor to step up and take at least some responsibility for cleaning the neighborhood,” Terziev said, referring to borough mayor Georgi Todorov, who earlier in the week said that Lyulin is facing a catastrophe. “Todorov is generally absent when there is something that needs to be done,” Terziev commented.
The mayor said that he had called volunteers and equipment to show that with not too much effort, goodwill, efficient work, and good organization, significant progress can be made in cleaning up waste in Lyulin. Six or seven of the sub-districts have already been cleared, and the work will be completed today in the remaining parts of the neighborhood, Terziev assured.
During the week, 10–11 trucks were transporting waste in Lyulin and on Saturday there are 7–8 trucks, Vasil Terziev said. According to him, however, this is not enough, and at the beginning of January all the necessary equipment is expected to arrive and the teams to be fully staffed. Until then, “with joint efforts we will keep things in good order,” the mayor added. He said he will come to Lyulin as many times as necessary, because a personal example must be set.
Deputy Mayor for Ecology Nadezhda Bobcheva said that the municipal company Sofekostroy has received additional equipment, which has already been deployed on site as of this week. Work is being done jointly with them to equip all the teams needed to clean such a large district as Lyulin, the deputy mayor said. She stressed that the problem with winter cleaning has been resolved in the Lyulin and Krasno Selo districts. Everything will be normal during the holidays, Bobcheva assured. She urged citizens to dispose of their waste separately, because it is a resource that is used. In recent months, an extremely sharp increase in separate waste collection has been observed, especially in districts with crisis waste-collection management. Regarding the nine boroughs whose contracts are due to expire in the coming weeks, Bobcheva said that the decision would be announced next week. “I suspect we will surprise you,” she said.
For two months, waste collection has been disrupted in the Sofia boroughs of Lyulin and Krasno selo, affecting some 300,000 residents after Mayor Terziev refused to renews the contract for waste collection over a proposal exceedinf double the market price.
/PP/
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