The BG-ALERT early warning system for disasters and emergencies is not activated automatically, but by trained competent persons, and in the case of the floods in Montana, the mayoral administrations in Hayredin and Boychinovtsi did not have trained people to work with the warning system. This was explained to journalists in Kardzhali by the Minister of the Interior Daniel Mitov, who was in the city together with the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior, Commissioner General Miroslav Rashkov, on the report of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, BTA reports.
„What I will do today is to write two letters – to the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, and later I will talk to the mayor of Veliko Tarnovo and the chairman of the association, as well as another letter to the regional government, requiring them to send people from the administrations as soon as possible and to enter the list of competent persons who can handle the interface and raise alarms in a timely manner“, Mitov commented.
According to the Minister of Interior, only 98 of all municipalities in Bulgaria have sent requests for training. In the Vratsa region, out of 10 municipalities, only 3 administrations have been trained. In the Montana region, only one municipality has participated in the training.
„All municipalities should take this issue much more seriously. I see that so far they have somehow ignored the calls of the General Directorate „Fire Safety and Population Protection“ to join the training“, commented Mitov. And he emphasized that only seven of the regional administrations have sent requests for training, so he will also send letters to the regional administrations.
Minister Mitov gave an example of the Burgas region, where a large part of the municipalities have created an organization, have trained employees and the system is activated when necessary.