Proper public consultation denied for controversial Bulgarian waste incinerator

Sofia, Bulgaria - A controversial waste incinerator project in the central Bulgarian region of Stara Zagora which is seeking financing from the European Investment Bank and EU ISPA funds ¹ has provoked further anger among local residents who have learned that their involvement in the public consultations on the project's environmental impact will be restricted.

The inhabitants of Kovachevo, Novoselets and Pet mogili, the villages neighbouring the site of the proposed National Centre for Toxic and Hazardous Waste, have been protesting against the implementation of this project since its conception. Local media announcements say that two public hearings on the project, which is backed by Bulgaria's Ministry of Environmnt and Waters, are scheduled for September 9 and 10 in the municipal centres of Radnevo and Nova Zagora.

"We are extremely disappointed," said Georgi Binev from the Initiative committee of Kovachevo. "In mid-June we sent a request to Bulgaria's Environment Minister Arsenova for public hearings to take place in the affected villages, but we received no response. Instead they force us to go to Radnevo and Nova Zagora during working hours. It is a sign of disrespect and neglect to the people who will suffer the consequences of this project."

One copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report has been delivered to Radnevo, and another one to Nova Zagora, severely restricting villagers from acquainting themselves with the Report and from preparing statements. In what will be a very time-consuming process, they will have to travel to the municipal centres in order to read the document which is more than 300 pages long. Moreover, those wishing to make comments have been given only one month to prepare statements on a complex issue.

"The present procedure presents the Ministry of Environment and Waters as an investor even less interested in the fate of local inhabitants than some of the private companies in the sector," said Ivailo Hlebarov from Za Zemiata, a Bulgarian green NGO. "For example, the EIA procedure for the de-sulphurisation of Maritsa East 2 project, which is going to take place at the same time, includes a public hearing in Kovachevo and the Report is available in the village hall. The distances from the village to the two project sites are identical."

Za Zemiata has already detected crucial gaps in the EIA report, especially concerning a lack of alternatives to the "centralised model" for treating hazardous waste. Other eastern European countries that have to handle large stock-piles of hazardous waste - eg. the Czech Republic or the Slovak Republic - have opted for a more decentralised model where the facilities for treating hazardous waste are located near to waste storages. The EIA also completely ignores non-combustion technologies that would be safer then waste incineration.

Petko Kovachev, from the Center for Environmental Information and Education, commented, "Marginalising public participation in the rush to get easy money from the European Union is the type of approach that provokes further distrust among local people. An investor that acts in such a way can no longer be trusted to fulfill their commitments to public health and well-being in the future construction and utilisation of the Centre. The development of this project up to now has demonstrated the remoteness of those in power from the real problems of ordinary people, just like before 1989. The only difference now is that democratic procedures are being simulated which is supposed to 'persuade' the financial donors that the people have given their consent."

For more information:
Ivailo Hlebarov
Za Zemiata Bulgaria
E-mail: hlebarov@bankwatch.org
tel. +359-2-851 86 20