“The opportunities OP Environment provides in the previous and the new programme periods establish prerequisites for a huge volume of work on designing and construction of ecological infrastructure as well as possibilities for the state to tackle challenges,“ said Ivelina Vasileva, Bulgarian Minister of Environment and Water, speaking at an annual conference themed “Strategic infrastructure and investments – Bulgaria and the Western Balkans“, FOCUS News Agency reported.
“In the sphere of waste [treatment], being a full-rights EU member, Bulgaria is obliged to build an waste treatment infrastructure in line with the European environmental legislation,“ the official remarked, adding no transition periods for non-hazardous waste had been negotiated and the period of time in which Bulgaria had to meet requirements had expired in July 2009,“ Vasileva commented.
“5 years after the deadline expired we have started the exploitation of 34 regional waste treatment systems, which fully meet requirements. Another 13 are expected to be built by the end of 2015,“ Minister Vasileva stated.
“We hope the entire infrastructure for non-hazardous household waste treatment will be completed in 2016. This continues to be a challenge before our country in view of the commitment to closing the old depots that do not meet requirements, over which Bulgaria faces a legal procedure,“ Ivelina Vasileva commented.