A protest march is being organized in Veliko Tarnovo today against the "Kronospan" wood processing plant, due to systematic air pollution, BNR reported.
A month ago, there was a serious production accident with explosions at the plant. The Minister of Environment Manol Genov and Professor Kostadin Angelov, Chairman of the Parliamentary Health Committee, announced that control over the company and compliance with environmental standards should be tightened at the end of September. The protest today at 11 a.m. is organized by the "Vazrazhdane" party.
Following the political intervention, the Regional Environmental Inspectorate in Veliko Tarnovo closed an illegally operating line at the plant and issued an order to "Kronospan" to submit a proposal for a change in its comprehensive work permit, which would change the standards for emitted air pollutants.
The protest, organized by "Vazrazhdane", will start from the center of the "Cholakovtsi" neighborhood and will reach the factory gate, demanding that the state authorities force the company to strictly comply with the standards for air quality, as well as to use its own water source for industrial needs, and until this happens, the factory should be closed.
"Kronoshpan Bulgaria" issued a written statement stating that: "they do not tolerate the use of the company's name and activities for political purposes, manipulation and speculation". The company claims that: "they continuously invest in environmental technologies, improvement of production processes and environmental protection, as well as that they comply with legal norms and requirements".