Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Press review

Photo: library

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


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Warm summer day with afternoon clouds and rain in some mountains

On Wednesday , the lowest temperatures will be between 16 and 19°C; in Sofia - about 16°C. During the day it will be mostly sunny. In the afternoon, clouds will form again over Western Bulgaria and the Danube Plain and in some..

published on 6/10/25 7:05 PM
Presentation of the survey at the BTA National Press Club

53% of young Bulgarians believe they could change Bulgaria

Young people in Bulgaria are ready to be part of the change, but they do not believe that they are given the opportunit y, indicate  data of a national survey conducted by Research Center Trend, which was presented today by the association..

published on 6/10/25 6:23 PM

Over a fifth of stray dogs caught in 2024 are adopted

17,603 dogs were caught in the country in 2024 under municipal programmes to control the stray dog population. 3,778 of them, or nearly 22%, were adopted, according to the report on the implementation of the 2024  N ational Programme f or C..

published on 6/10/25 5:42 PM