site.btaPolitical Leaders Comment on Sofia’s Waste Crisis

Overflowing bins and mounting waste in Sofia’s Lyulin and Krasno Selo boroughs have triggered a debate over corruption, governance, and accountability in Bulgaria’s capital. The crisis erupted after Sofia Municipality refused to sign new waste collection contracts, arguing that the only remaining bidder demanded prices more than twice the market rate.

A few months ago, a procedure was launched to select companies for waste collection in several parts of the capital. A Turkish company which bid for a contract for the two boroughs had four of its trucks set on fire and withdrew from the competition. "This left a single participant, which won the contract, and this is a company linked to Taki [an alias of the controversial businessman Hristoforos Amanatidis]," Yes, Bulgaria Co-Chair and MP Ivaylo Mirchev said on September 19, adding that waste disposal in Sofia had previously cost BGN 144 per tonne, while the company connected to Taki offered BGN 420 per tonne. Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev rejected the offer. Earlier in the week, Terziev said the situation stems from “a clash between two worlds — the old one, where people with nicknames dictate the rules, and the new one, where citizens demand transparency and justice”. He insisted the municipality would not yield to “mafia practices” and thanked volunteers and neighbouring municipalities for assisting in the clean-up. Emergency municipal operations were launched, involving small collection teams and trucks transferring waste to larger containers for disposal at the Yana facility near Sofia.

Political reactions followed on Wednesday.

At a roundtable on “Urban Waste Management: Crime, Corruption and Environmental Security”, Sofia Mayor Terziev emphasized that waste management cannot be handled by local authorities alone and called for stronger institutional support. “This is a test of whether the state harbours the mafia or the mafia controls the state,” he said, urging cooperation between institutions, honest businesses, and international partners.

Earlier in the day, GERB leader Boyko Borissov urged Terziev to propose an emergency law to address the “bin crisis”, saying his party’s 66 MPs would support any effective solution, regardless of cost or procedure. “I am extending my hand not to Terziev, but to the people of Sofia,” Borissov said, questioning why the mayor had previously paid the same companies he now labels “the mafia”.

Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev argued that the municipality should build its own waste collection capacity, as “municipal companies are cheaper and cleaner”.

Kostadin Kostadinov of Vazrazhdane linked the crisis to “strong mafia presence” and called on Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and Mayor Terziev to “end the interference of the mafia in the State and the capital”.

VMRO municipal councillor Carlos Contrera blamed Sofia’s leadership for failing to act pre-emptively, saying the administration had known about the expiring contracts and lacked a comprehensive waste management strategy. He urged a mixed model where the municipality handles waste directly in some districts while outsourcing others.

Velichie leader Ivelin Mihaylov blamed entrenched political interests, naming Borissov and MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski as the “contractees” behind the crisis. He called Terziev “a victim who deserves the support of Sofianites”.

Radostin Vasilev of the Morality, Unity, Honour (MECh) party expressed full support for the mayor’s stance against inflated bids, though he faulted him for “waiting for a crisis instead of acting sooner”.

Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev announced that prisoners with light sentences would assist in cleaning efforts in Krasno Selo, stressing that “citizens are not obliged to dispose of their own garbage”. He also revealed upcoming Criminal Code amendments targeting illegal waste handling and disposal, saying Bulgaria is working with Europol and EU partners to strengthen oversight.

Environment Minister Manol Genov said his ministry stands ready to assist, though under law, “mayors are responsible for waste management”.

Experts at the roundtable on the matter called for a coordinated response combining legislative reform, digital transparency, and stronger institutional control. MP Ivan Belchev proposed technical monitoring tools and expansion of separate collection systems. Blagoevgrad Mayor Metodi Baykushev shared his municipality’s experience in reducing illegal dumping through tighter supervision and public engagement, while Sofia Deputy Mayor for Ecology Nadezhda Bobcheva stressed that waste-related crimes are lucrative and require sustained oversight and penalties. International partners from Europol and several EU countries attended the discussion, highlighting the cross-border dimension of waste-related crime.