site.btaProtest over Pernik Water Crisis Leads to Clashes with Police, Two More Officials Arrested

ESD 16:00:32 27-01-2020
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111 HOME AFFAIRS - INTERIOR MINISTRY - PROTEST amplified2

Protest over Pernik Water Crisis
Leads to Clashes with Police, Two More
Officials Arrested


Sofia, January 27 (BTA) - During the second day of protests in Sofia over a severe water crisis in the western town of Pernik on Monday, protestors tried to break through the police cordon and storm the building of the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry, leading to clashes with police. Also on Monday, two more officials were arrested intentional mismanagement and malfeasance in office.

The protestors hurled bottles at the police and smashed the front door of the Regional Development Ministry, the Interior Ministry reported. Police used tear gas to contain them. 30 people needed medical attention for eye complaints. Two law enforcement officers were injured and received medical care.

Police presence in the area has been increased. The identities of those who provoked tensions during the protest are currently being determined.

The protest was organized by the Vazrazhdane (Revival) party and most of the participants are supposed to be Pernik residents.

After several protests in Pernik, hundreds of angry local people moved their rally to the capital Sofia last Saturday. Organized by a local steering committee, the first-day protest went peacefully. The protestors demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Regional Development, whose role in the crisis they believed to have been underestimated.

This explains the protestors' anger with the Ministry on Monday.

In Pernik, water has been rationed for over two months now after it transpired that the level of the local potable water reservoir had gone critically low. The Environment Minister was arrested and charged with intentional mismanagement. He has since been replaced.

More arrests were made on Monday when the Prosecutor General's Office said that the former CEO of the Pernik water company, Ivan Vitanov, and former Pernik acting mayor Sevdelina Kovacheva have been
remanded for 72 hours. The former has been charged with intentional mismanagement and the latter with malfeasance in office. NV/DT