Citizens of the Danube municipalities of Belene, Nikopol, Gulyantsi and Dolna Mitropolia are being subjected to real terror from a record mosquito population this summer due to a failed and delayed state order for treating the insects. The problem has reached the National Assembly, where it became clear that the Ministry of Health cannot organize a new spraying until September.
According to experts quoted by the publication, the emergency treatment against flying insects was undertaken about a month late, which turns it into a pointless waste of money. Due to missing the key moment for early spraying, the population along the Danube River has reached critical levels. The people's dissatisfaction was voiced during the written parliamentary control by the MP from “Democratic Bulgaria“ Svilen Trifonov.
“Citizens are placed in conditions that significantly worsen their quality of life“, the MP points out, adding that there are also sharp signals from other affected regions. He insists on clear answers from the Minister of Health Katya Ivkova regarding the planned emergency actions of the state.
In her response, Minister Ivkova admits that a new public procurement cannot technically be organized in the months until September. However, she assures that the government is considering the problem as a priority and will look for ways to respond in case of urgent need. According to the source, the Ministry of Health is preparing a three-year procurement, the aim of which is to ensure better preliminary organization of the events and prevent future crises with the pests.
The main breeding grounds for mosquitoes are the Danube islands, which are entirely state-owned. For this reason, local efforts by individual municipalities are extremely insufficient without serious state intervention. The key moment for effective control is larvicidal treatment during the cool spring.
According to "SEGA", this year's public procurement was suspended by Andrey Gyurov's office due to violations found in the procedure, which was launched during the time of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. The subsequent office of Rumen Radev has started emergency activities, but the administrative transfer of funds has led to a fatal delay. Nearly 1.3 million euros have been redirected from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency to the Ministry of Health, with emergency spraying being assigned to the relevant regional divisions, including RHI - Pleven, RHI - Veliko Tarnovo and RHI - Ruse.
So far, there is no public clarity on how much of the 1.3 million euros in question has actually been used and with what effect. Residents of Svishtov are recalling on social networks vicious practices from seven years ago, when despite the extraordinary funds allocated from the budget, local people were forced to purchase preparations and equipment for deworming on Vardim Island themselves.
Citizens from the Danube regions continue to insist on regular information about population density levels and on mandatory synchronization of actions with the Romanian authorities, without which any isolated spraying remains without long-term results.