site.btaVazrazhdane Criticizes Cabinet for Failing to Implement Policies to Address Water Shortages

The current Government is consistently failing to implement policies to tackle water shortages and the management of the water supply and sewage sector in Bulgaria. There is a total failure of the ministers and a lack of measures in managing water supply and sewage systems, as well as an utter inability to address the water crises affecting regions such as Sofia, Pernik, Burgas, Omurtag, Lovech, Pleven, Plovdiv, Svishtov, Sevlievo, Smolyan, Kyustendil, Silistra, Dobrich, Kotel, and others, as stated in a declaration by Vazrazhdane, read by Angel Slavchev from the party’s parliamentary group here on Thursday.

The party issued the declaration due to problems in the water supply and sewage sector and the water shortages.

Despite having significant water resources – 52 large reservoirs and over 6,000 small reservoirs, the country suffers from permanent water restrictions and deteriorating quality of drinking water, according to Vazrazhdane. They believe this is due to poor management, lack of allocated financial resources in the national budget, and inefficient spending of the available resources. This has led to delays in ready projects and severe economic and environmental consequences.

The financial instability of the Bulgarian water supply and sewage holding, poor management, and failure to comply with European requirements exacerbate the crisis, threatening the health of Bulgarian citizens, the economy, and the country’s sustainable development, according to the political force. According to Angel Slavchev, "The government's failure, with the loss of over EUR 300 million from the recovery plan for the water sector, is an exceptional failure, especially at a time when our country needs these funds for water supply the most."

It is clear that both the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and the Ministry of Environment and Water lack the capacity to develop a plan for tackling the country’s water shortages, the MP pointed out. 

For 16 years, Bulgaria has had no strategy for managing water resources, and the current government has yet to develop any strategic document for the vulnerable points of water resources, emphasized the MP. He also noted that, at the moment, more than 500 settlements in the country are experiencing water supply restrictions, of which over 200 are supplied by water carriers because they lack water pipelines.

According to Vazrazhdane, money in the water supply and sewage sector is being spent uncontrollably, and the ruling government is indifferent. Over the last five years, more than BGN 5 billion have been spent on the water sector, and they claim that they have reduced water loss from 82% to 72%, commented Slavchev.

This government is committing a "serious political crime" against the people, endangering national security, and tolerating corruption, the declaration states. The political force once again demands the resignation of the Zhelyazkov cabinet.