Bulgarian Scrap Metal Dealers Protest Draft Waste Management Act

Bulgarian black and colored scrap metal dealers fear that the draft Waste Management Act may force them out of business. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's draft Waste Management Act caused 5000 protesters to gather in front of the parliament building Wednesday.

The protest, organized by a civic initiative of black and colored metal scrap dealer, was backed by Svetozar Nikolov, Chairman of the National Association of Bulgarian Business.

"We must be united and well-coordinated", Nikolov urged, adding that "We want change and we shall not stop".

Representatives of scrap metal dealers and recycling companies insisted that they had been told by Environment Minister Nona Karadzhova that only 400 companies could stay on the market.

The mandatory deployment of non-cash payments in scrap metal trade and the proposed 2013 ban on natural persons trading in black and colored metals were two key aspects of the draft Waste Management Act that drew the ire of the protesters.

A group of them were allowed to enter Parliament to table a petition stating their main demands.

They insist that the existing draft Waste Management Act, prepared by the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Water, be instantly withdrawn and barred from parliamentary discussion.

The protesters call for wide social participation in the preparation of a new law which favors the interests of Bulgarian society and the business sector and complies with rule of law.

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