After the garbage crisis in Sofia, a snow removal crisis is also looming. In “Denya starts with Georgi Lyubenov“ on BNT, Boris Bonev from “Spasi Sofia“ warned that the capital has only four snowplows, which is extremely insufficient given the expected snowfall. With the first serious snow, the streets and sidewalks may remain uncleaned, and public transport may be blocked.
He explained that from December 1, the extended contracts for garbage collection in zone 3 of Sofia, which covers the districts “Poduyane“, “Izgrev“ and “Slatina“, which affects about 200 thousand people, expire. Together with “Lyulin“ and “Krasno Selo“, this means that nearly half a million Sofia residents will be left without a permanent cleaning company.
“What is the problem? At the moment, garbage collection has somehow stabilized in “Lyulin“ and “Krasno Selo“ thanks to the urgently built municipal capacity - the municipal company “Sofia Ecostroy“ and the garbage plant enterprise. However, they are already at the maximum possible capacity, which means that from December 1, none of the municipal structures will take over these three areas. In other words, the crisis will really become acute and very problematic“, Bonev warned.
Against this background, he signals another serious problem - the winter readiness of the capital.
„With great concern, I must describe to you an even more frightening picture. Sofia currently has four snowplows. Four! In normal times, with operating companies, between 130 and 160 snowplows are on standby for each snowfall“, he said.
According to him, with the first serious snowfall, the city is threatened with complete transport chaos.
„One morning we will wake up, 20-30 centimeters of snow will have fallen, public transport will be blocked because the streets will not be cleared. There will be traffic jams everywhere because the streets and sidewalks will not be cleared. The city will be blocked. A few hours after this blockade, everything will turn to ice and the second phase of this crisis will begin, when hundreds of people will break their legs on the icy sidewalks and will not even be able to get to “Pirogov“, warned Boris Bonev.
Regarding the garbage crisis, he is categorical that there is no time and criticizes that Mayor Terziev is in Rio for an ecology award at such a moment.
“The lack of concern about the garbage crisis, the lack of quick action speaks only of one –two things: either they really don't know what they are doing and are simply hoping for some miracle to happen and the crisis will pass them by, or this is being done on purpose. I have no third explanation“, commented Bonev.