site.btaPM Zhelyazkov: National Water Board Convenes to Tackle Worsening Supply Crisis

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said on Tuesday that the first meeting of the National Water Board aims to address deepening water supply issues. 

The Board was established after the National Assembly instructed the Council of Ministers to set up a coordinating body for the expected water crisis in 2025.

Zhelyazkov said the issue of water supply is becoming increasingly problematic due to the lack of targeted and coordinated action between national and local authorities, and among those responsible for managing the sector.

He noted that a combination of factors contributes to the problem, including climate changes such as reduced and irregular rainfall, droughts and fires. Poor planning, mismanagement of water resources, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of investment in municipal water and sewerage networks are also significant issues.

Zhelyazkov said that poor management of water systems intended for irrigation, industrial, and domestic use leads to conflicts, referencing the recent incident in Lovech where solving a problem in Pleven relied on resources from Lovech. He stressed that such poor communication and information-sharing could provoke tensions between communities sharing a water source, and that human error should not be overlooked.

Earlier on Tuesday, Danail Sabevski, executive director of the Lovech water utility company, submitted his resignation.

Zhelyazkov said the new Board must assume the serious responsibility of integrating the management of water resources, planning targeted investments in water infrastructure, developing new sources, and improving river basin management to prevent potential spring floods.

He emphasized that members of the National Water Board, along with central and local authorities and the non-governmental sector, must responsibly identify and implement solutions. He pointed out that the Bulgarian Development Bank is a board member in order to facilitate targeted investment, and added that the lack of funds excuse is not a valid one. Money is available, but it must be managed honestly, decently, and under public oversight.

For months, Pleven and settlements in the region have been subject to water rationing. Earlier in September, the Cabinet dismissed Pleven Regional Governor Nikolay Abrashev and appointed director of the Pleven branch of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology Martin Machev as Abrashev's replacement.

Protests in Pleven continued earlier in September, with demonstrators recently blocking the main Byala-Botevgrad road at the junction near the village of Yasen in protest against the ongoing water shortages.