Disturbing information about the air we breathe in big cities. Data from the World Health Organization show that one in every 10 Bulgarians dies from this cause. That's over 10,000 deaths a year. The European Commission has even initiated two criminal proceedings against Bulgaria. In 5 years, our country has lost the population of a city the size of Veliko Tarnovo. Our viewers have reported that air quality monitoring stations there are located in parks and among trees and show low levels of pollution. Is the real picture manipulated in this way?
Quarter “Kartala“ in Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most dynamically developing. More and more young people and families are choosing to live there for one reason – the place is high, with fresh air and a beautiful view.
Measuring facilities in the area are not state, but municipal. They were installed as part of a project to replace old wood and coal stoves – with new eco appliances.
„They meet all the requirements, they are certified, they are checked, but now they are used only within the framework of the project and for the information of citizens”, explained Zornitsa Miladinova, an ecologist in the municipality of Veliko Tarnovo.
According to residents of the old capital, the big problems with the air above Veliko Tarnovo are not in these points, but in the outer districts, where there is a large wood processing plant nearby. We are looking for air measuring stations in these three neighborhoods. We find one – in the yard of a kindergarten, not far from the woodworking enterprise. It turned out that this station was funded and installed by the company itself, and the reporting data was provided to the Environment Agency. This is written by the Eco-Ministry in a position next to NOVA.
The company also monitored the readings of the station, which they define as independent. And everything was fine.
„We would like to assure you that from the month of March 2024 until today, the independent broadcasting station in the district “Cholakovtsi“ did not show measured values above the permissible levels in terms of fine dust particles and formaldehyde, they reported from there.
The position of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is as follows:
„On the territory of Veliko Tarnovo, there is one manual point for monitoring the quality of atmospheric air, positioned in RIOS”.
We find the device on the terrace of the eco-inspection - among deciduous and coniferous trees. From RIOSV, they said that they are looking for a new, suitable place for this station – in any of the affected neighborhoods.
Engineer Elena Grigorova is the former director of the regional eco-inspection in Veliko Tarnovo, which is also responsible for the Gabrovo region. Currently, she leads a project to replace the old electrical appliances with new ones in the neighboring city, the record holder in our country for polluted air – Gorna Oryahovitsa. According to Grigorova, the automatic stations are a bit morally outdated.