Bulgaria’s Environment and Water Minister, Neno Dimov Charged Deliberate Mismanagement

Politics | January 11, 2020, Saturday // 07:13
Bulgaria: Bulgaria’s Environment and Water Minister, Neno Dimov Charged Deliberate Mismanagement www.pixabay.com

Bulgaria’s Minister of Environment and Water, Neno Dimov, on January 10 was accused of deliberate mismanagement. He remains in custody for 72 hours. The Prosecutor's Office will seek for remand.

According to the evidence gathered by the Prosecutor's Office, for more than a year and a half since the beginning of 2018, Neno Dimov, has been informed monthly by the head of the Water Supply and Sewerage company in Pernik about the state of Studena Dam and the decrease of water quantities in it.

Prosecutors say Dimov should have banned the use of industrial water at that time, but he did not. On the contrary, every month he authorized the use of water by "Stomana Industry" as well as by District Heating company in Pernik, thus causing a water crisis. According to the prosecution and the evidence that has been gathered, there are even months in which he confirmed the use of more than the required quantities of water.

Chief Prosecutor Spokesperson Siika Mileva said in the course of the investigation it was found that the water resources of Studena Dam had significantly dropped to volumes approaching the critical minimum, the so-called dead volume of the dam, in which water supply cannot be secured for drinking and industrial needs of the population in the municipality of Pernik.

According to the Water Act, Studena Dam is state-owned and as such is managed by the Ministry of Environment and Waters. The water level in the dam is monitored by the water supply company in the town of Pernik. it also reports on the status of the water levels to the Minister of Environment and Water.

"It has been identified that since the beginning of 2018 the water level in Studena Dam has decreased significantly, for which the water supply company has continuously informed the municipality of Pernik, the Pernik district government, as well as the Minister of Environment and Wate, who has approved the respective schedules on a monthly basis and authorized water supply for industrial, domestic and environmental needs," the Chief Prosecutor’s spokesperson added.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the Minister breached his official duties and in the period from January 1, 2018 to November 17, 2019 issued permits for industrial water use to certain companies, which was several times larger, although the inflow into the Studena dam decreased dramatically.

He has deliberately not taken sufficient care of the management of the water regime of Studena dam, despite the availability of all required reports from various institutions. In this way, it caused significant damage, resulting in the consumption of millions of litres of water, which in turn led to a reduction in drinking water for the residents of Pernik municipality.

The Prosecutor's Office explained that all the facts were being checked. The law provides for between two and eight years in prison for this crime.

If the Minister had forbidden the use of the water of Studena Dam for industrial purposes, there would have been sufficient water at the moment to prevent the water restrictions in Pernik, the judicial authorities said. According to the law, priority is given to the supply of water for domestic use.

The search of Neno Dimov's home also uncovered documents, including the order of former Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov to correct the area used by Yulen over Bansko as a concession area in Pirin Park. At this stage the prosecutor's office explained that they had not established data for committed crimes, but would check very carefully whether Dimov had fulfilled his obligations under the law and if he had not fulfilled them, they could also charge him in relation to the concession zone above Bansko resort.

The evidence gathered in the case gives reason to believe that he could commit more crimes and influence the court proceedings. A arrest warrant has been issued for 72 hours, the prosecutor's office said, BNT reported.

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Tags: Minister of Environment and Water, Neno Dimov, deliberate mismanagement

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