site.btaOmbudsman Issues Recommendations to Sofia Municipality over Complaints about Heaps of Waste in Two Boroughs

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva has addressed Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev and Sofia Inspectorate's Director, Nikolay Nedelkov, about complaints from residents of two boroughs reporting heaps of rubbish due to difficulties with waste collection, Delcheva's office said on Thursday.

The complaints indicate that since the introduction of а new waste collection system in Lyulin and Krasno Selo, older bins have not been emptied regularly, leading to overflowing bins and pollution of surrounding areas. People are calling for urgent action to clean up and remove the accumulated waste.

In this context, the Ombudsman has requested information from local authorities regarding the temporary schedule for servicing bins in the two boroughs and the possibility of increasing collection frequency. Delcheva has also asked whether the areas around the bins are cleaned regularly, whether the crisis situation is expected to continue, and what measures are being considered for its long-term resolution.

The waste management situation in Sofia became critical in the Lyulin and Krasno Selo boroughs, where the municipality introduced an emergency system after refusing to sign waste collection contracts with what City Hall says are inflated prices, allegedly linked to figures from the underground. Citizens are self-organizing to help manage the waste crisis.