On Sunday, the crisis situation with garbage in the districts of "Lyulin" and "Krasno Selo" came into effect, BNT reported. The contract with the current cleaning company expired, and Mayor Vasil Terziev refused to sign a new one with the only candidate because of the proposed prices that were twice as high.
Nearly 300,000 residents will be able to use 12 special containers for garbage.
Until late yesterday afternoon, however, in the largest district in both Sofia and the country - "Lyulin", only one had been placed.
The thousands of residents of "Lyulin" and "Krasno Selo" have three options - to dispose of separately in the special colored containers, to continue to carry the garbage in the current gray containers, which, however, will be disposed of on schedule by the Sofia Waste Treatment Plant, but less frequently.
And the third option - to carry the garbage to one of the 12 large gray containers that the municipality will yet have available. The balance on the first day of the garbage crisis - one container, and smaller than the promised ones, placed in the mud in the middle of a field without a sign.
The district administration of "Lyulin", where the crisis headquarters operates, stated that they had received assurance that by the end of Sunday all the promised large containers would be placed. Only three trucks were transporting the garbage from 1,500 containers.
"On the first day of this crisis situation, colleagues were on the field all day and it was found that the majority of the containers had not yet been transported by the end of the day, which is usual for a district "Lyulin" this happens around noon. You can judge for yourself that the capacity with which they are working is insufficient. And every day there will be delays in the removal of waste", said Georgi Todorov, mayor of "Lyulin".
The district administration is committed to cleaning only the small bins, but they asked people not to throw their garbage there.
"I cannot call on people - "For God's sake, brothers, don't throw away". But I can call for a reasonable attitude and responsible behavior. "Lyulin" does not deserve to be the landfill of Sofia", said Georgi Todorov.
The mayor called on citizens to report irregularities.
The Sofia Municipality indicated that the situation is under control and asked people to use the current containers for collecting waste waste.
According to Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, everything is going according to preliminary expectations, with the service for citizens being provided entirely through the resources of the Sofia Waste Treatment Company (SPTO).
“SPTO teams have been on the ground since Sunday morning. To facilitate collection, we are also placing additional containers, monitoring the needs of each neighborhood“, said Terziev.
He also announced that representatives of the Sofia Inspectorate have detected unregulated waste disposal - including from commercial establishments in household garbage bins, which is illegal. Starting today, Monday, additional night shifts of inspectors will be mobilized, who will fine violators on the spot.
The mayor called on citizens to follow the municipality's instructions over the next two weeks, published on the official website of the Sofia Municipality.
„I will not allow anyone to blackmail Sofia residents. The only candidate in the public procurement for the districts „Lyulin“ and „Krasno Selo“ offered a price twice as high as the estimated one. If we say now that this is acceptable, tomorrow it will be our new everyday life. Sofia will not give in,“ Terziev was categorical.
He thanked the teams of the SPTO, the Sofia Inspectorate and all the employees who work tirelessly to maintain cleanliness in the capital.
„I realize that there may be inconveniences, and we will do everything possible to keep them minimal. I appeal for patience, mobilization, discipline and mutual assistance. Together we can cope,“ concluded the metropolitan mayor.