An order of the Minister of Environment and Water, Nona Karadjova, in 2011 moved many stationary stations for measuring the cleanliness of the air. Why? We have already explained this in the interview of lawyer Dimitar Ploshakov on the subject. But let's recall. Because of the initiated criminal procedure of the EU against Bulgaria for the measurement of air purity. And so that we don't suffer too much, speedy actions are being taken throughout the country. For two months… To get within the EU requirements, we just move.
“With this order from 2011 that I am talking about, a total of eight automatic measuring stations have been moved – in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Dobrich, Pernik, Smolyan and Vidin. But that's not the only shift. In 2016, a station was moved to Pleven, for example. The general picture is as follows - the stations in the cities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Devnya, Ruse, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Pleven, Blagoevgrad, Kardjali, Stara Zagora, Dimitrovgrad, Burgas and Nessebar are also not in their places. Thus, our administration now locates the points in green areas, in parks, in gardens, in inter-block spaces, dead neighborhoods, peripheral streets and, if possible, away from the main pollutants. This is the policy of the state through the administration, and you ask me if we can trust their measurements. Answer yourself… The administration against the people – this is the kind of air we breathe," says lawyer Ploshakov in his interview with FAKTI.
What is characteristic of Pleven
The lawyer provided FACTS with his correspondence with various institutions, from which the following is evident. That the station in Pleven has been moved from the central part of the city to the yard of a school!?
What do we read in the response of RIOSV – Pleven, requested under the Access to Public Information Act: “… requesting the provision of the following information regarding: Has the National Automated Air Quality Control System changed the location of the air quality monitoring station(s) on the territory of the Pleven Regional Environmental Protection Agency in compliance with Order No. RD-66 of 03.02. 2011 of the Minister of the Environment and led and in case it has been changed to indicate the old and new location of the point/s.
In connection with the aforementioned application, we provide you with the following information:
Within the national system for monitoring the environment, in the territory controlled by RIOSP Pleven (Pleven and Lovech districts), there are 3 stationary automatic stations for measuring indicators characterizing the quality of atmospheric air (AQ):
• Pleven automatic station (city background point)
Automatic station Nikopol (city background point)
• Lovech automatic station (urban background point)
The location of AIS-Lovech and AIS/DOAS-Nikopol have not been changed.
Pleven automatic station, in connection with urban planning changes, was moved to a new address in 2016, “Patriarch Evtimii" No. 3 (in the yard of the "Patriarch Euthymius" University).
The new location of AIS Pleven was adopted after a study carried out by a working group of the Directorate "Protection of Atmospheric Air Purity". at the MOES, EAES, RL Pleven, RIOSP Pleven and Pleven Municipality, on 29.06.2016. The coordinates of the station at the new address are latitude 43°24'32", longitude 24°37′26″E.
The location of the point until it was moved to the above-mentioned address was on "Doiran" street. #100 in Pleven.
Pleven, coordinates latitude 43°24′42.41", longitude 24°36'54.62"E.
Sincerely,
ENG. ZORNITSA YOTKOVA Director of RIOSV-Pleven (b.r. - answer as of April 11, 2022)“
When it comes to “Doiran“ street, we see that the station was placed in a central part of the city! Was she moved to the school yard? Is there a difference in the air in the two places…
What the data shows
The EU pays a lot of attention to fine particulate matter pollution. It has been proven that they are the biggest scourge for our lungs. When are they the most – in the winter, of course. When people start using firewood.
What we see on the table. Fine dust particles are PM10. On “Doiran“ we have – 58.3 in summer (measured in July), 169.6 in September, 250.4 in November and 234.4 in December. The measurement with the mobile automatic station in the schoolyard reads a dash, sorry zero.
Otherwise, the data is correct for before the EU. And in front of our lungs? What about our health? What about our children? Which is more important – to adapt to the EU or to know informed what we are breathing. The same applies to people working in the administration. Or they started not breathing…
Why are we like this, why don't we think about ourselves, about people, but it is important to come across data… Why do we bother ourselves, why don't we make it so that we know what we are breathing. Why, why, why… Because so, someone will probably say. The important thing is that my life passes, and others – our children also come here to get better. So congratulations, breathe easy, that's how it is in our country. And in the EU, where people are working to make it within the norms, it is certainly different. The question is, aren't we supposed to be in the EU too. Or we only think and wish it were so… at least in words. When it comes to business, it's probably better to stop breathing. The question is how? Here even the administration shrugs helplessly and sends us to ask the EU… In all of Europe, the air is common…