Parliament Approves Funding to Address Pleven’s Water Crisis Amid Heated Debates

After three hours of heated debate in the plenary hall over the funding for Pleven’s water crisis, the National Assembly approved BGN 10.3 million for seven new projects under the Municipal Investment Programme. The opposition criticized the government for failing to provide guarantees for the transparency of procedures and the quality of implementation.

Supporters of the cabinet emphasised that the funding will help resolve the water crisis not only in Pleven but also in other cities across Bulgaria.

Tsoncho Ganev-"Revival". These funds are urgent, to say the least. Yes, we will support them because there is no other way out. But this does not mean that they will not be stolen by the companies of GERB, Peevski and all others associated with the local government."

Tsoncho Ganev from the "Vazrazhdane" party stressed that while the funds are urgently needed and his party would support them, he warned about potential mismanagement: “This does not mean the money won’t be stolen by companies linked to GERB, Peevski, and others connected to local authorities. The main problem is the government’s lack of strategic thinking and policies.”

Delian Dobrev, Chair of the Budget Committee (GERB-UDF), assured that the funds allocated to Pleven will not create a new budget deficit. He added that the aim is not simply to provide BGN 10 million but to prioritise projects for water and sewage infrastructure.

The PP-DB demanded guarantees for transparency of procedures, which provoked a reaction from GERB.

Yordan Ivanov from 'We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria' requested transparency guarantees, prompting a sharp response from Dobrev, who accused the opposition of politicising the debate and highlighted alleged mismanagement by their own mayors.

Yordan Ivanov (WCC-DB): “Yes, we will support the funding for Pleven. However, we need to understand how the money will be spent. The primary reason is purely political, Mr. Dobrev, namely that the mayor is from GERB and you bear responsibility for that. At the very least, even if arrangements are made directly, you must come forward and assure that these funds will be spent transparently. So far, we haven’t heard that.”

Delian Dobrev, Chair of the Budget Committee (GERB-UDF): “Here in the plenary hall, I see nothing but political posturing. You talk to me about transparency in procedures when your mayor in Varna steals 20%, your mayor in Sofia 6%—and we’ve all heard the recordings—and you come here all morning tearing your shirt over how money might be stolen. But wait, it’s your mayors who are stealing, not ours—it’s yours.”

Representatives from Morality, Unity, Honour (MECH) and Velichie voiced concerns that the funds for Pleven’s water projects could end up in party coffers. Violeta Koritarova (MECH) suggested that crises in the water sector are sometimes deliberately exploited to allocate large sums under the table, while Krasimira Katincharova (Velichie) admitted her party believes the funds may be misused.

Violeta Koritarova (MECH): “I believe that in the water sector we are witnessing a series of crises that seem to be deliberately triggered. When the crisis occurs, only then is it very easy to channel 10, 20, or 30 million under the table.”

Krasimira Katincharova (Velichie): “Velichie will support these changes, even though I must state officially that we know this money will be stolen.”

photo by BTA

Dragomir Stoynev (BSP-UL) argued that only thanks to the current cabinet has the water crisis in Pleven been addressed; without it, Bulgaria would be facing early elections and the problem might remain unresolved.

The bill was passed with 190 votes in favour, 180 against, none opposed, and 10 abstentions.