Former Minister of Environment Neno Dimov, accused of deliberate mismanagement related to the water crisis in the city of Pernik, remains under arrest, the Specialized Criminal Court of Appeal has ruled.

Judges have taken into account testimonies that the minister coordinated the work of other officials, provided information and headed the ministry, so he could not be released on claims he trusted his experts without checking whether he allowed drinking water to be used for industrial purposes. As a result, 97,000 residents of Pernik are subject to water regime and it is unknown how long it would last. The crisis has prompted the parliamentary opposition to call for a vote of no confidence against the cabinet.