site.btaCabinet to Allocate Lv 3 Mln for Reinforcing Dams in Hayredin Municipality

Sofia, March 10 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov convened an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Saturday to discuss measures for guaranteeing citizens' security in connection to the overflowing of dams. The Prime Minister noted that the Government will decree the allocation of 3 million leva for repairing the dams in the northwestern municipality of Hayredin.

The meeting was also attended by head of the Directorate General for Fire Safety and Civil Protection Chief Commissioner Nikolai Nikolov, Deputy Chairman of the State Agency for Metrological and Technical Supervision (SAMTS) Kiril Voynov, as well as the regional governors of Vratsa and Montana (northwestern Bulgaria).

Among the topics discussed was Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov's idea to establish a separate company to deal with emergencies, which can maintain dams, or to use expert resources of the National Electricity Company (NEK) for repairing State-owned dams.

Borissov said during the meeting that for months now there has been "a process of endless administration" between the State and municipalities, agencies and structures regarding the condition of dams. Costs are growing exponentially, he said, recalling that there are 7,000 dams across the country, and according to local authorities, some of them are unusable. "If they aren't needed, why don't you drain them? No dam, no problem," Borissov remarked.

Commissioner Nikolay Nikolov told journalists after the meeting that the high-risk situation at the Rogozen 1 Dam, located in Hayredin Municipality, has been overcome. According to him, rivers across the country have not yet overflown to the point where a code red must be declared. All critical points are monitored, so that people at risk can be promptly warned, Nikolov noted. There are around 50 yards in the village of Krushovitsa that have been flooded by subterranean water, he explained, adding that no people are at risk.