The European Commission (EC) is the authority that could file a lawsuit against Bulgaria for environmental violations, according to David Hammerstein, member of the European Parliament (EP) from the Green Party.

Hammerstein sated that the EC would be pressured to undertake measures against Bulgaria, but that the process could take many years.

Hammerstein is part of the official delegation visiting Bulgaria and including members of the Committee on Petitions at the EP. They are in Bulgaria due to petitions from Bulgarian nonprofit organizations, filed with the EP in connection of publicly known ecological violations in the country.

On his part, the Deputy Environmental Minister of Bulgaria Chavdar Georgiev said that he did not expect any sanctions from the EC due to environmental violations in the country, but promised to take full responsibility if the EC would initiate legal proceedings.

The Deputy Minister spoke on Thursday, after the conclusion of the meeting between his Ministry and the EP delegation. He defined the meeting as "constructive", but did not forget to voice his disappointment of the fact that the Bulgarian organizations have asked the EP for assistance instead of turning to his Ministry first.

Georgiev further explained that the Bulgarian Environmental Ministry had acted properly in all described cases and had prohibited 3 years ago construction in the area of Irakli while the Sapareva Banya municipality has been fined BGN 200,000 for allowing the construction of a road through the "Rila" National Park. According to Georgiev there was an upcoming checkup of the rivers in the Chelopech municipality for cyanide pollution.

After the meeting, the EP representatives met with the protesting environmentalists, who organized a rally Thursday in front of the EC Representative Office in Sofia. Douchana Zdravkova - member of the EP and of the Bulgarian Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party joined the rally and told the protesters that they were the real civil society of Bulgaria.

David Hammerstein, on his part, voiced his disbelief in the inactivity of the Bulgarian Cabinet regarding environmental violations.

"The Bulgarian Cabinet even encourages and assists the illegal activities by the exchange of different plots," Hammerstein stated. He warned that he was going to personally notify the EC about the violations.

The environmentalists' rally lasted over 3 hours.

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