News

11 January 2023

Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva has sent a recommendation to Irena Georgieva, Executive Director of Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding EAD, and Radostin Milanov, Managing Director of Water and Sewerage Stara Zagora, that the price approved by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) should not be applied to the water in the region.

It is prompted by the numerous complaints from citizens to the institution of the national Public Advocate against the abrupt increase in the price of water for 2023 in Stara Zagora. The Ombudsman notes that, in the past six months, the price has been increased a second time and it has grown by more than 50% within the last year currently standing at 4.61 lev per cubic metre. At the same time, there has been no improvement in the quality of the service.

Prof. Kovacheva refers to data from the Working Group Report and the Annual Report and Comparative Analysis of the W&S sector in 2021 showing that W&S Stara Zagora has failed to implement 16 of 30 quality benchmarks, including “overall water loss”, “water supply system pressure”, “water pipe system renovation” and others.

The Ombudsman recalls that during the public discussion of the proposed W&S price, she emphasised that if EWRC were to approve the envisaged increase for the region, there would be a risk for the people there to find themselves in a factual inability to pay their water bills.

“This will not only exacerbate the citizens’ social inclusion but the non-collectible receivables of the W&S operator would grow,” Prof. Kovacheva was definitive then.

In relation to complaints submitted by Stara Zagora citizens about the poor infrastructure in the city, Prof. Kovacheva also insists on being informed about the renovation works launched last year in order to bring the affected road system in compliance with the established standards and norms allowing for safe use and increasing the quality of air.