As of next year, use of solid fuels for domestic heating in buildings which are part of central heating and gas supply networks will be banned in nine Sofia regions, Deputy Mayor of Sofia Nadezhda Bobcheva announced at the opening of a round table “More comfort for cleaner air” in Sofia. According to Sofia municipality data, the prohibition will affect 1,660 households. The aim is for the low-emission zones to cover the entire city by 2029.

Low-emission zones for road traffic will also be put in place from 1 December, 2024 until February, 2025. They will affect category 1 polluting vehicles, but also vehicles from category 2, Deputy Mayor Bobcheva said. Meanwhile, For the Nature association disclosed alarming data about unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in many points around Sofia, where there is a significant human presence – residential areas, office and business buildings, major public transport stops, schools. In 34 out of 36 points where data were gauged, the concentration exceeds the average annual norm of 40 µg/m³ during all months of the year. The prime source of the emissions are the cars with internal combustion engines, and most of all diesel engines. According to experts, the findings are troubling because they show adequate measures are not being taken in Sofia.