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Parliamentary question - E-003179/2020Parliamentary question
E-003179/2020

Compliance with Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste treatment

Question for written answer E-003179/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Radan Kanev (PPE)

Since the completion of the integrated project on improving water cycle management in the city of Varna under ISPA – Measure 1 ‘Transformation of Asparuhovo waste water treatment plant (WWTP) into a pumping station with mechanical waste treatment and construction of a pipeline under the floor of Lake Varna’ (75% funded by the European Union and concluded in 2011), waste water from the Asparuhovo district has been piped to Varna WWTP. Owing to the appearance of a fault in the pipeline – which under the project was to run under the floor of Lake Varna – high levels of pollution have been recorded in the lake and in the coastal waters off Varna. The competent authorities have provided conflicting information as to when the fault appeared/was reported and why (ranging, respectively, from between 5 to 10 months ago and from poor workmanship to a passing vessel holing the pipeline). Although the Ministry of the Environment and Water announced it had fined the company ViK Varna and instructed it to remedy the problem, it has still not done this, which now poses a serious threat to the environment.

In the case of this incident in the municipality of Varna, how is the Commission upholding, monitoring and ensuring compliance with Article 5 and Article 15 of Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste water and with the transitional measures for the implementation of that directive pursuant to the Treaty concerning the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the EU?

Last updated: 11 June 2020
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