Citizens gathered in protest in front of the Sofia Municipality because of the garbage collection problem in Sofia and blocked traffic on 33 Moskovska Street over the weekend. The action was under the slogan "Let's throw the garbage on 33 Moskovska Street". Why did the crisis come to this and is there a way out? Prof. Vili Lilkov, municipal councilor from “Blue Bulgaria“, spoke to FACTI.
- Prof. Lilkov, this year there is little snow and the garbage is visible. Why did the waste crisis come to this. What is the simplest explanation?
- The simplest explanation is that the preparation for the new competitions for cleaning the municipality did not start on time. Some of the competition conditions provide opportunities to appeal the decisions, there was an agreement between the companies participating in the competition to play in their own interest, and most importantly, the mayor and his administration did not prepare their own options for responding to these actions, which could have been foreseen.
- For over a year, there has been talk that a crisis is coming because the contracts need to be renewed. Who missed this time?
- I have already pointed out – the mayor and his administration really missed this time. Moreover, many of the councilors pointed out on various occasions that timely action must be taken to prevent a waste crisis.
- The topic has been discussed in the Municipal Council for a long time, but what information has reached you – the municipal councilors, the mayor and his deputies?
- The topic has not left the agenda of the Municipal Council and has been discussed on various occasions. Both because of the relationships with the companies that clean, and with the companies for the separate collection of waste and the quality of their activities, and because of the budget plan for cleanliness and the annual cleaning task, because of the problems with the disposal of waste, with RDF fuel and its combustion. And regarding the information on these issues – it is not secret, even journalists and citizens have access to the meetings of the SOS and its committees and to the administration.
The problem now came from the delay in the public procurement and the lack of readiness of the mayor and his administration to react
upon the termination of the contracts by districts and, moreover, that the municipal councilors were left out of this preparation.
- In order to avoid a total crisis, annexes to the annexes are being made. Who has the right to do this and for how long can this be done?
- The mayor has the right to conclude annexes and determine their conditions and duration. The bad thing is that he did not coordinate these actions of his with the SOS. Maybe he had reasons, I don't know, but it happened as with the strike in public transport – he decided that he could handle it himself, and then and now, at least we from “Blue Bulgaria“ were and are ready to help, because the crisis affects everyone!
- The Municipal Council voted to give money to the municipal company “Sofekostroy“ to increase its capacity. Why now, why wasn't this done a year ago, so that it would have more operational capabilities and not lead to a crisis with the boluka?
- “Sofekostroy“ is a company that over the years “barely moved“ and had no capacity to perform more serious tasks. When more than a year ago the economic majority in the SOS (GERB, BSP, “There is such a people“ and the renegades from “Vazrazhdane“) imposed the new managements of all municipal companies without competitions, incl. and “Sofekostroy“, we from “Blue Bulgaria“ reacted sharply and wanted not only to hold public competitions, but also to set specific business tasks for each company and business development plans. It was mandatory to state what we want from “Sofekostroy“ and then to start building our own capacity with equipment, specialists, workers and emergency plans around the company and the Specialized Municipal Waste Treatment Enterprise (SPTO).
Only 40-50 days ago we assigned “Sofekostroy“ new tasks and gave it 9 million leva to purchase equipment and hire workers.
We also provided funds for the purchase of equipment for the district mayor's offices and the Municipal Waste Management Office, but now in crisis conditions.
- When it comes to garbage, it's a lot of money. How dependent is the municipality on the companies that clean up the garbage?
- The way the municipality has provided all garbage collection and cleaning activities to private companies, it is highly dependent and highly vulnerable.
- Do you see a political game to pressure Mayor Terziev and renew expensive contracts?
- I can't say how political the game is, but the old players will never give up defending their positions, and, of course, their prices, until they meet resistance and see that the municipality can cope without them. Simply put, the municipality must build its own capacity and distribute the garbage business so that it does not allow us to fall into such crises - not only for garbage!
- What solutions to the situation do you propose from “Blue Bulgaria“. Is there a dialogue in the Municipal Council, are other opinions heard or is the so-called “economic majority“ imposing its opinion?
- Sofia Municipality must have its own municipal company, which, under the leadership and control of the mayor and the Municipal Executive Committee, should clean the territory, take over some of the districts and be in competitive conditions with private companies that clean the rest of the municipality with quality. This municipal company should not only deal with cleaning, but also take on other communal activities, provide assistance to district mayors in crisis situations and work in real competition with private companies, so as not to leave them free to "play their horse". Instead, we now have a municipal economy of companies that barely "make ends meet". Serious reform is needed in this municipal sector and we from "Blue Bulgaria" are ready to support it, but the mayor and the other groups in the SOS must also be ready for this, and not just staff the municipal companies with "ladybugs" at the expense of Sofia residents' money!