Calls for State of Emergency in Sofia Districts Hit by Rubbish Crisis

Sofia’s mayor is being urged to declare an immediate state of emergency in five districts worst affected by the ongoing waste collection crisis. The call comes from the civic group Save Sofia (Spasi Sofia), which says the situation has become untenable in Lyulin, Krasno Selo, Izgrev, Slatina and Poduyane.

Problems with uncollected rubbish in the capital have continued after the holiday period. Piles of waste have once again been reported in parts of the Hadzhi Dimitar neighbourhood, with similar scenes in other affected areas.

Earlier this morning, Save Sofia held a press conference over the crisis. The location was announced just two hours in advance, and when a crew from BNT News arrived, several trucks from the Sofia waste treatment company were seen emptying bins at the site. According to Save Sofia leader Boris Bonev, the vehicles had most likely been redirected from Slatina.

Mr Bonev insisted that the mayor should declare a state of emergency and, if necessary, seek assistance from central government. Meanwhile, the mayors of Poduyane and Krasno Selo have called for predictability and a clear, structured clean-up plan.

Boris Bonev, leader of Save Sofia, said:
“We insist that the mayor immediately declares a state of emergency in these districts. What would this allow? The mobilisation of equipment and other measures provided for under the Emergency Situations Act, involving not only Sofia Municipality but also state institutions.”

Kristiyan Hristov, Mayor of Poduyane District, explained that a rotating clean-up schedule is currently in place:
“According to today’s schedule, cleaning is focused on Suhata Reka, with all available equipment concentrated on one neighbourhood per day. Yesterday Hadzhi Dimitar was cleaned, today Suhata Reka, tomorrow Levski, and then the cycle repeats. The aim is mass cleaning, so bins are not missed and we avoid situations where one container is overflowing for weeks while a neighbouring one is emptied daily. What matters to me is that every location is cleaned regularly. If equipment is insufficient, then let it be every other day or every two days — but there must be consistency, not the chaos we have seen so far.”

Tsveta Nikolaeva, Mayor of Krasno Selo District, said residents were deeply concerned:
“In Krasno Selo, which until October was one of the cleanest districts in Sofia, it now looks like an absolute dump. The biggest problem is that Krasno Selo, like Lyulin, is effectively condemned for the next three to five years, as there will be no replacement of equipment or modernisation of waste collection. By signing this contract, we knew that nothing would be modernised.”

Save Sofia said it will submit proposals to amend the local taxes and fees ordinance, so that residents are compensated for the period during which waste collection services were not provided.

The group is also calling for household waste charges to be waived for at least three months for people living in the affected districts.

So far, Sofia Municipality has not issued an official response.

photos by BGNES, BNT