site.btaOpposition Says Sofia Faces Billion-Lev Trash Contracts, Urges Mayor to Restart Bidding Process

Sofia’s municipal government is on the verge of committing over a billion leva to controversial waste management contracts dominated by businessman Hristoforos “Taki” Amanatidis, warned opposition MP Ivaylo Mirchev of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria on Thursday.  Speaking in Parliament, Mirchev urged Mayor Vassil Terziev to immediately annul several sanitation tenders and restart the bidding process.

According to Mirchev, Amanatidis has managed to “capture” almost all waste collection contracts in the capital, in some cases becoming the sole bidder after allegedly squeezing out competitors.

“Sofia is about to pay over a billion leva for garbage removal because Taki has taken over nearly all the public tenders,” Mirchev said. “We call on the mayor to cancel these procedures, especially for zones where the bids exceed the municipality’s projected budget.”

A statement from Mirchev's Yes, Bulgaria party (which is affiliated with CC-DB) compared the inflated waste prices to absurd extremes: “Sofia is now expected to pay more for one tonne of trash than it costs to produce a tonne of wheat.”

The opposition claims the pricing in the current tenders is artificially inflated and will impose a long-term burden on city residents — all while potentially benefiting figures associated with organized crime.