Employees of Maritsa-3 thermal power plant stage another protest

The workers of the Maritsa 3 thermal power plant in Dimitrovgrad staged another protest in the capital city of Sofia on May 16.

Their dissatisfaction is with the government's decision to shut down the plant. The power plant was closed on 21 April because of air pollution. Their protest on Thursday was called off after several controversial orders issued by Environment and Water Minister Borislav Sandov and the Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection - Haskovo.

Shortly after 13.00, the protesters marched from Lions’ Bridge to the Ministry of Environment and Water. They said they would wait for the representative group to return from the meeting with minister Sandov, held at the Ministry of Environment. If no one came up with a decision within 5 minutes, they threatened to rush in the ministry. The protesters are guarded by a cordon of policemen.

Nearly 2,000 people from Stara Zagora, Galabovo, Radnevo, Pernik, Kyustendil and Bobov Dol have registered to participate in the rally. They are also unhappy with Minister Sandov's statement that other power plants in the country "are violators".

images by Karina Karanyotova