The Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water (RIEW) - Sofia has received 17 signals for a waste problem in the capital. They are for the regions “Lyulin“, “Krasna Polyana“, “Krasno Selo“, “Studentski“ and “Poduyane“. This was announced by the eco-inspection in response to a request from BTA.
The signals were registered from October to December last year. Citizens have reported unregulated waste disposal and overflowing garbage containers.
As of October 5, 2025, the Sofia Municipality introduced a crisis organization for garbage collection in the districts of “Lyulin“ and “Krasno Selo“. The reason for this was that the contract for garbage collection in the two districts expired on October 4 of the same year. The only remaining candidate in the public procurement offered a price that was twice as high as the reasonable market estimate, the administration announced at the time.
For some of the districts, including “Studentski“, the contracts with the companies were extended.
As of December 1, a temporary organization of garbage collection also came into effect in the districts of “Izgrev“, “Poduyane“ and “Slatina“. The measure was necessary due to the expiration of the contract with the waste management company and the delay in the new public procurement, the decision of which was appealed to the Commission for the Protection of Competition. This led to the crisis situation in the five regions and to difficulties in waste collection due to the lack of sufficient equipment to service the containers. Citizens' signals to the responsible institutions followed, including the Regional Inspectorate for Environment, Water and Waste-Sofia. The first signal in the capital's eco-inspection was registered on October 7, and the last - on December 29, 2025.
According to the Waste Management Act (WMA), the mayor of the municipality organizes the management of household and construction waste generated on the territory of the respective municipality, the Regional Inspectorate for Environment, Water and Waste-Sofia told BTA. They emphasized that the mayor is responsible for preventing the unregulated disposal of waste and the formation of illegal landfills and for organizing their cleaning.
“According to Art. 112, para. 1 of the Waste Management Act, the mayor of the municipality or an official authorized by him exercises control over the activities related to the formation, collection (including separation), storage, transportation and treatment of household and construction waste, as well as over their abandonment and unregulated disposal“, the response of the Regional Inspectorate for Environment, Water and Fire Protection-Sofia states.
The received signals have been forwarded according to their competence to the relevant regional administrations, the Sofia Inspectorate and the Sofia Municipality for taking the necessary actions, and they should inform the Regional Inspectorate for the actions taken – Sofia, the eco-inspection also announced.
In order to improve the situation, the Sofia Municipal Council allocated funds to build its own capacity in the municipal company “Sofekostroy“ to purchase trucks and hire employees, which would replace the previous cleaning companies. The Sofia Waste Treatment Company also took over the cleaning of garbage in some of the affected areas.
We are working on a quality solution to the problem, the Sofia Municipality assures. I understand that the citizens are uncomfortable, and I do not enjoy looking at these sights, said Mayor Vasil Terziev. He again appealed to the citizens of Sofia to change their habits and dispose of garbage separately.