site.btaRegional Development Ministry Warnsof Inefficient Controlof Residential Buildings Energy Renovation

Sofia, January 14 (BTA) - The Regional Development and Public Works Ministry has found that municipal governments are failing to exercise proper control over the publicly financed energy renovation of multi-household residential buildings, which could entail damages for the home owners.

This transpired from a letter by Regional Development Minister Nikolai Nankov to all municipal mayors and regional governors, in which he urged local authorities to control more strictly the implementation of the national energy renovation programme.

Nankov expects municipal governments and construction supervisors to check every building at least once a month while it is being renovated and to issue written statements on the results of the checks.

Municipalities should also watch for possible unlawful subcontracting.

Any substandard energy renovation work performed on a building may cause the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) to terminate its contract for that building. The BDB provides the loans for the nationwide effort.

The energy renovation of multi-household residential buildings is cost-free for the home owners and the local governments. The municipalities are in charge of the public procurement procedures for selecting the contractors and the supervisors.