Bulgaria's Sofia Mayor Prays for Mild Winter

Sofia's mayor Yordanka Fandakova has stated that the municipality was ready for the snow cleaning, but also expressed hope for midler winter. Photo by BGNES

Sofia municipality is ready for the cleaning the streets from snow, the Sofia mayor, Yordanka Fandakova, has announced.

She has stated that the money for the cleaning has been provided and that nearly BGN 2 M has been saved form last year's money, which have not been paid to snow cleaning companies because of their violations.

Fandakova pointed out that this year the control over the snow cleaning cars will be increased thanks to the tracking devices they will be equipped with.

However, the mayor wished that this year's winter would be as mild as possible.

"We are very wrong ff we expect that when there is a heavy snowfall, we would be able to see the asphalt. What is important for the municipality, as a preparation measure, is the control over snow cleaning companies," Fandakova said, adding that companies would be checked whether they have equipment and soils ready.

The mayor added that a new requirement, implemented from this year, would be the equipment to be placed near the traces they would have to clean, in order to prevent delay of the cleaning process.

"This year, the contracts envision more mechanisms for sanctions and for more serious control and we depend on that. Let's hope the winter will not be as severe as the forecasts say because snow cleaning is a very expensive business," she said.

Fandakova explained that the job of the Sofia municipality is to provide normal moving in winter conditions of the public transport and the cleaning of the main traces.

In her words, the small streets of the neighborhoods would be cleaned only when there is a very heavy snowfall and the movement is blocked.

"Unfortunately, we do not have sufficient funds, in general, because the garbage fee was not increased this year, despite the recession. We do not plan to increase it next year either." Fandakova said.

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