Bulgaria Faces Potential Legal Action from EU Over Air Quality Issues

Bulgaria may face the possibility of a new criminal procedure initiated by the European Commission due to air pollution concerns. Reneta Koleva, Deputy Minister of Environment and Water, discussed the potential legal action in an interview with News.bg, highlighting issues related to the pollution levels of fine dust particles.

During a recent press conference, Koleva announced new measures aimed at combating fine dust particles through the National Air Quality Monitoring System, which operates in over 30 locations across the country. The national system comprises 48 monitoring points, including 30 automatic stations, 4 forest monitoring sites, 5 optical systems, and 9 manual sampling points, all of which comply with European and Bulgarian legislation.

Out of the 48 stationary points, 30 will be replaced, while 18 new ones will be added to enhance the monitoring system. Koleva warned that Bulgaria could face legal repercussions if it fails to demonstrate sustainable improvements in air quality nationwide. She pointed out that the European Commission assesses air quality across the entire country, and there remains one area—specifically the Plovdiv agglomeration—where acceptable limits for fine dust particles have not been met.

Koleva assured that the Ministry of Environment and Water consistently provides accurate air quality data to the European executive agency and the European Commission. "We maintain ongoing communication with the EC to prevent new legal actions against Bulgaria," she stated. She also addressed concerns regarding allegations of manipulated air quality data, asserting that the data collected is encrypted and securely transmitted, making it impossible to alter.

The press center of the Ministry of Environment...