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 AtanasovBulgaria's President Rumen Radev is on an official visit to Zagreb, Croatia, at the invitation of his counterpart Zoran Milanović. Among the topics to be discussed at the meeting between the two heads of state is the deepening of bilateral cooperation..
Two helicopters from the Bulgarian Air Force are participating today in the firefighting operations in the Rila Monastery area . A Mi-17 helicopter with a crew from the Krumovo air base and a Cougar helicopter took off this morning for the Kodzhakaritsa..
Over 500 employees of state forestry and hunting farms have gone out in protest at kilometer 119 of the Trakia highway. They have currently gathered at a gas station on the Trakia highway near the Plovdiv exit in the direction of Sofia. The..
Two helicopters from the Bulgarian Air Force are participating today in the firefighting operations in the Rila Monastery area . A Mi-17 helicopter with a..
Over 500 employees of state forestry and hunting farms have gone out in protest at kilometer 119 of the Trakia highway. They have currently gathered at..
Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev is on an official visit to Zagreb, Croatia, at the invitation of his counterpart Zoran Milanović. Among the topics to..
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