Residents of General Toshevo Say No to Gas Extraction

Nearly 97% of the voters at the local referendum in the town of General Toshevo said "no" to natural gas extraction in the region. The turnout at the end of the election day was 52.72%, which makes the referendum ballot valid.

6,465 people eligible to vote responded with “yes” to the question asked in the referendum: "Do you agree for General Toshevo Municipality, presented by the municipal council or the mayor, to approve spatial plans for designation of areas for exploration, extraction, processing of the following subsurface natural resources: oil, natural gas, solid fuels, mining waste? ".

Only 172 responded with "no", the assumptions are that some of them did not understand the question well. On 18^th of December, the election papers will be handed over to the Central Election Commison. The local government seeks to hold a meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, which will insist the government to comply with the results of local ballot.

The referendum results are considered valid as the turnout is 52%.

The referendum was organized in connection with investment plans envisaging 41 drillings in 18 towns and villages in the area. This triggered a series of protests over the past few months. Local residents concerns that gas extraction will pollute water and air, and will ruin agriculture, which is the main source of livelihood in the region.