“Ecological problems in Varna are numerous, and solving most of them will take time. However, the issue with garbage is the most visible,” stated Evgeny Stanimirov, the chairman of the “Protection and Reproduction of the Environment” commission in the municipal council of the seaside city, in an interview with EcoVarna.
Over the past year, it has become increasingly common to see trash scattered around containers, which is not only due to the usual suspects—beggars and seagulls—but also because people, for unclear reasons, deliberately litter in the early hours of the day, Stanimirov claims. The municipal administration has sent a signal to the prosecutor’s office, along with a recorded video. Another frequent sight is empty containers, while bags of garbage roll around them.
The fines are not insignificant, but someone needs to start imposing penalties. Bulgarians are startled when their pockets are touched, believes the chairman of the eco-commission, who is firmly determined to work for the cause, drawing experience from his life abroad.
In the past three months, the municipal administration has issued 33 fines for illegal waste disposal, which is insufficient given the problems we have with pollution, Stanimirov thinks. According to him, many commercial establishments violate regulations by throwing packaging, crates, and other waste into household waste containers. However, before mass checks and fines, an informational campaign is needed, which the municipality has not conducted so far, commented Evgeny Stanimirov.
