Prisoners with light sentences will be involved in cleaning up the capital's Krasno Selo district, which is among the most affected by the waste crisis in Sofia. This was announced by Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev to journalists, BTA reports. He participated in a round table "Urban Waste Management: Crime, Corruption and Environmental Security", which is being held in the capital.
The mayor of the "Krasno Selo" district sought our assistance and we will immediately provide manpower - prisoners who have served light sentences and live in open-type dormitories, who already work during the day in various companies, will join the cleaning, the minister explained. He specified that the prisoners will work under the supervision of employees from the General Directorate "Execution of Sentences". According to him, such a practice has been applied before, including when cleaning riverbeds in Sofia.
Georgiev pointed out that concreteness, not pathos, is needed in solving the waste crisis in the capital. "Mayors should offer solutions, not excuses. Citizens are not obliged to take out their own garbage“, said the minister.
He also commented on the delay in the public procurement for garbage collection in Sofia, stating that the expiring contracts had been known for a long time. “During Mrs. Fandakova's time, she had foreseen a six-month extension of the deadlines, but a new procedure cannot be announced on March 26, when the contracts expire on April 5“, said Georgiev.
According to him, the Ministry of Justice will provide full support for dealing with the crisis, and the political support from the largest parliamentary group has also been clearly stated.
The minister refused to comment on political aspects surrounding the topic and recommended that signals of possible violations be submitted to the competent authorities. “Any allegation of racketeering, extortion or crime must be investigated and punished to the full extent of the law“, said Georgiev.
He added that legislative changes are imminent, which will include new sections related to the illegal waste business in the Criminal Code. “We are working with Europol and European institutions to implement the best practices from Italy, France and the United Kingdom“, the minister added.