site.btaFive Regions in Bulgaria Still Lack Fire Trucks with 8,000-Litre Capacity, Says Interior Minister

A total of 43 fire trucks with a minimum capacity of 8,000 litres have been distributed among 23 regional fire safety and civil protection directorates in Bulgaria, while five regions – Kardzhali, Pernik, Pleven, Silistra, and Smolyan – still lack such vehicles, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov told Parliament during Question Time on Friday. 

Mitov was responding to a question from Ivan Belchev of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, who asked which regional fire services do not yet have such vehicles and whether funds are available for the purchase of additional heavy-duty fire trucks.

The minister explained that under a project improving the technical equipment and capacity of the structures of the General Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection and preparing the population for response to forest fires, financed under the Operational Programme Environment 2021–2027, the Interior Ministry has signed a contract for the delivery and maintenance of 37 new fire trucks with an 8,000-litre capacity and special equipment for firefighting in hard-to-reach areas. A review and redistribution of the existing fleet is planned to best meet regional needs, Mitov said.

He added that it is practically impossible to station a fire truck in every populated area. According to the National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria is divided into 28 regions and 265 municipalities, encompassing 5,256 settlements – including 257 towns and 4,999 villages.

MP Ivan Belchev argued that the network of fire services should be expanded, given the increasing frequency of natural disasters and climate-related emergencies. “Each region should have at least one large fire engine with an 8,000-litre capacity,” Belchev said.