This road is state-owned and belongs to the RIA. We have one concern, because eight years ago another landslide happened - on the road between Smolyan and Madan. It wasn't on this scale. And we've had a traffic light there for eight years now. This was stated by the Mayor of Smolyan Nikolay Melemov in the program “Face to Face” on BTV.
Last week there was an accusation. We mayors are used to being guilty and I try to listen to every criticism. In both cases, the owner of the road is the RIA. You asked your interlocutor why that landslide was not fixed, he replied that the municipality and the mayor stole some money and do not want to open it, he turned to the host. In fact, the municipality has no financial relationship to these roads, they are state-owned, we are not legally entitled to invest money in them, and we should not, he specified.
Smolyan Municipality has 86 settlements and 485 km. municipal road network, excluding streets in the city and villages. The state, represented by the RIA, has 500 km. in the entire region, all 10 municipalities. So we do not have the opportunity to even ask, but we also do not legally have the right to invest money in someone else's property. Financially, Smolyan Municipality has no relationship to these landslides, Melemov explained.
When asked who has any relationship to the landslides, the mayor of Smolyan replied that it is only the state. There have been and will be landslides. This landslide is registered as the largest on the Balkan Peninsula – it starts from Pamporovo and reaches Smolyan.
A few years ago, we participated in a program together with the MRDPW and tried to do some research. They gave us 90,000 leva. With them, we did two drillings in the Smolenski Lakes area, because there is a lift there, but it is not working because the first station was displaced by the landslide. We made benchmarks that monitor the landslide from a satellite, but unfortunately the money ran out and we are left at this stage. But the state is obliged to take measures, because the area is dangerous. The problem has been known about for more than 50 years, explained the mayor.
Regarding the building in the landslide area, Mayor Melemov explained: At that time, the law did not prohibit construction – we are talking about 1936. The law was changed after that. A study was done 20 years ago and it was said that this area is on the edge of a landslide. Then the building was built to the side. The municipality's will is to be at the service of the institutions, but only the RIA is in charge.