site.btaResidents of Aleksandrovo Village Protest over Lack of Water Supply

Residents of the south-central village of Aleksandrovo in Haskovo Region protested on Saturday over the lack of water supply for over 20 days in some parts of the settlement. Houses located in higher parts of the village have not had water since April, residents told BTA. 

"We are in the 21st century, and we cannot wash and bathe. In the European Union and in the eurozone, we have to be rely on a water tanker," the protesters said.

People are adamant that if their water problem is not solved, they will sell off their property and leave the village. “Young people want amenities, and here we do not have the basics for our hygiene and household needs,” said Petrana Doycheva. She is convinced that the lack of water, which has occurred every summer for years, will lead to the depopulation of the village.

Kichka Miteva said there has not been a drop of water from her tap for three months. The woman, who is 76, is a personal assistant to her disabled son. In order to secure water for domestic needs, she uses his electric wheelchair several times a week to carry water bottles from the village centre, where there is a water tanker provided by the Haskovo Water and Sewerage Company. However, people say that they cannot drink from that water because it smells of slime.

Aleksandrovo Mayor Nadezhda Dobreva explained that the problem stems from an old etherite water pipeline that connects several villages from three municipalities and is very compromised. She recalled that after local protest last autumn, the caretaker government allocated BGN 5.5 million to design a new water pipeline.

Haskovo Regional Governor Stefka Zdravkova told BTA that a decision to allocate funds for a new water pipeline had indeed been approved, but no money had been received in the local government's account. "People have the right to demand and expect better living conditions from the authorities. Money has been promised and we will continue to demand it," she said.