The Sofia Municipality has completed contractor selection procedures for two waste management zones in the capital: Zone 2, covering Vazrazhdane, Oborishte and the central part of Triaditsa, and Zone 5, which includes Iskar, Kremikovtsi and Pancharevo. With the contracts now signed, waste collection and treatment in these districts is secured through 2031, ensuring longer-term predictability in the service.

The agreed rates are 145.72 euros (around 285 leva) per ton for household waste and 102.26 euros (about 200 leva) per ton for bulky waste. According to the municipality, the new agreements introduce tighter oversight while safeguarding public funds.

The pricing process followed two legally compliant stages under the Public Procurement Act. Initially, contracts were concluded at the financial parameters submitted in the companies’ original bids, as required by law. Immediately afterward, annexes were signed to reduce those rates. This followed an official letter from the selected contractor, sent after the evaluation committee completed its work but before the contracts were finalized, expressing readiness to perform the activities at lower prices. As a result, no services were delivered at the higher initial rates, while the integrity of the procedure remained intact.

Mayor Vasil Terziev stated that the administration had committed to avoiding long-term agreements that would burden the city financially. He stressed that price increases would not be accepted without a tangible improvement in service quality and that protecting public interest remains a guiding principle.

Regarding the remaining zones, the municipality said it would comply fully with rulings of the Supreme Administrative Court. For Zones 1 and 6, the procedures return to the ranking phase, while for Zone 4 they revert to the admissibility assessment stage. A new commission will be appointed to proceed in line with the court’s instructions. For Zone 3, the court upheld the municipality’s earlier decision to terminate the procedure, and cleaning there continues to be carried out through municipal structures.

At the same time, Sofia is expanding its in-house capacity. Municipal services are already responsible for cleaning in six districts - Lyulin, Krasno Selo, Krasna Polyana, Poduyane, Slatina and Izgrev - following the strengthening of municipal enterprises during earlier crisis periods. This approach is presented as an additional safeguard for continuity and stability.

Separate waste collection remains a strategic focus. Although managed separately from household waste collection, it has a significant impact on the overall system. More than 60% of the contents of gray bins currently consist of recyclable materials such as cardboard, plastic and glass, increasing pressure on the Waste Plant and reducing landfill lifespan.

A pilot municipal model approved by the Sofia Municipal Council on February 26 is being introduced in Ovcha Kupel and Kremikovtsi. It предусматрива a 66% rise in colored recycling containers, increasing their number from 504 to 837. New “Rakla” containers will replace the older “igloo” type, featuring larger “lid-in-lid” openings designed to make disposal of packaging, including commercial cardboard boxes, easier. The service will be managed by the municipal company Sofekostroy. The planned investment of 439,319 euros is expected to be recouped within two and a half years through revenues from recyclable materials and reduced landfill costs.