Bulgaria’s printed media accentuate on Thursday on the decision of the European Court of Justice related to the lawsuit against Bulgaria on violation of an EU directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air in Europe. The EU court has found Bulgaria guilty for systematic and constant exceeding of EU norms on fine particulate matter on the territory of the whole country.The case against Sofia was initiated by the European Commission. So far, Bulgaria has not been sentenced to pay fines. However, that country received an ultimatum to bring air quality into EU norms, Sega daily informs on its first pages. The article of that newspaper specifies that Bulgaria has been sentenced by the European Court of Justice, because it exceeded the norms of fine particulate matter. According to information of the European Environment Agency, Bulgaria is the country with most polluted air in the whole EU. If that county and its municipalities fail to take measures aimed at reducing the level of fine dust particles, it may be sentenced to pay a lump-sum or daily fines. Those fines would be paid until Bulgaria eliminates the infringement completely, Sega daily specifies. Bulgaria has not done anything to reduce the level of fine particulate matter in the past 6 years, Capital daily notes on Thursday. The newspaper further informs that Bulgaria’s main excuse was connected with the social and economic situation. It could not solve the problem related to the level of fine dust particles due to the sources of pollution- home heating and automobile transport. Moreover, many Bulgarians have been burning coal during the winter periods, because they have been experiencing financial difficulties, the newspaper further informs. However, that excuse was rejected by the European Court of Justice, Capital daily writes. Trud daily quotes lawyer Mihail Ekimdzhiev who initiated a civil lawsuit against Plovdiv Municipality over the high levels of air pollution in that Bulgarian city. “The decision of the European Court of Justice was expected, because Bulgaria has not taken any serious and adequate measures to solve that problem since its accession in the EU in 2007". Since then that country has been among the EU member states with most polluted air. According to the EU directive on ambient air, the daily limit should not be exceeded in more than 35 days in a calendar year. However, the daily limits in the city of Plovdiv were exceeded in over 200 days in some calendar years.
English version: Kostadin Atanasov
On Saturday the weather will continue cold, predominantly sunny with a temporary increase of mid and high clouds. There will be fog before midday in some parts in the lowlands. There will be a light wind from the East, in the Eastern part of..
Out of all politicians in this country, President Rumen Radev enjoys the highest approval rating – 46.7% , followed by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov (18.9%), GERB party leader Boyko Borissov (15.9%), National Assembly Speaker Nataliya Kiselova..
For the third year running, the number of young doctors who want to remain in Bulgaria after graduation has been going up, indicate the results of a survey conducted among 224 Bulgarian students who graduated the Sofia Medical University’s medical..
In Plovdiv, experts discuss issues of the food industry, in accordance with the most up-to-date requirements of the Bulgarian and European regulatory..
Education must make children not only knowledgeable but also good people, said Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev at a meeting with His..
On February 19th, the day when Bulgarians worldwide commemorate 152 years since the passing of the Apostle of Freedom, Vasil Levski, Bulgaria’s National..
Partly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy