Pernik water restrictions: Prosecutors investigate, government grants funds for water project
Prosecutor-General Sotir Tsatsarov and Deputy Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev held talks on November 22 with Pernik mayor Stanislav Vladimirov about the water restrictions in his municipality, the Prosecutor’s Office said.
Vladimirov decreed water restrictions, expected to last several months, on November 18 as a result of supply problems.
He has alleged wrongdoing by the water supply company, leading to the Prosecutor’s Office to open an investigation.
Police are also investigating the circumstances that led to the water restrictions, while residents of the municipality have written letters of complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The Environment and Water Ministry and the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry are inspecting various aspects connected with the Studena Dam.
The District Prosecutor’s Office in Pernik has already instituted pre-trial proceedings with the aim of investigating malfeasance in office.
Separately, Bulgaria’s government information service said that the Cabinet will allocate 2.7 million leva to Pernik municipality for a project related to the reconstruction of the sedimentation of the drinking water treatment plant, which serves Pernik and the surrounding villages.
This was decided at a meeting between Prime Minister Boiko Borissov with Vladimirov, attended by Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov and Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Nikolai Nankov.
The funds, which will be provided by Cabinet decree, are the first urgent measure related to solving the water crisis in the city, the government statement said.
“The financial support will enable the mayor of Pernik to take urgently needed action. In the course of the conversation with Prime Minister Borissov, further steps were taken to deal with the crisis according to the situation.”
The facility for which the government is providing funding guarantees the quality of drinking water that must reach to residents of Pernik and the surrounding settlements, the statement said.
