Dams become public state property under the control of State Enterprise “Dams and Cascades”

  A structure responsible for supervising the dams – similar to the National Construction Supervision Directorate (NCSD) is going to be created. The functions of the unit will be signed in the new amendments to the Water Act that the government will introduce within a month. This became clear after the dam “Ivanovo” tragedy in the village of Biser, Haskovo region. Among other measures that the government takes is declaration of dams as public state property. Water basins are divided according to their purpose. Those that are used for hydropower and water supply purposes will be managed by the State Enterprise “Dams and Cascades” EAD which is under the umbrella of the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism. Reservoirs for irrigation or fish farming will be responsibility of “Irrigation Systems” at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Municipalities will have a time limit within which to cancel or not the management of micro-dams. Upon refusal owner will become the agricultural ministry. For now however there will not be a separate agency for the management of dams. Economy Minister Traicho Traikov assumes overall control of technical condition and safety of absolute all dams and micro-dams through NEC EAD and State Enterprise “Dams and Cascades” EAD. The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works will maintain a summary record of all facilities – state and municipal property. This will give a full picture of the water infrastructure in the country. “There will be no facility in Bulgaria which will not have owner or operator,” said Minister of Environment and Water Nona Karadzhova. Because of anticipated heavy snowmelt will be released 50% of the water volume of all major dams while micro-basins will be drained so that water balance is maintained in order not to leave our country without resources during the summer. Within 10 days the four ministers – of regional development, economy, agriculture and ecology, must draw up proposals for amendments to the Water Act. To the region of flooding – Harmanli and Svilengrad – went President Rosen Plevneliev with EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov who studied the situation with off-road machine BTR. “The water reform should be brought to an end,” said the head of state and noted that the changes will be included for discussion at the Advisory Council on National Security in spring. For forcing the water strategy is also Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Dobromir Simidchiev. “I hope our colleagues from the Ministry of Environment and Water will be able to introduce the project more quickly as in this case they are legislative proposers,” said he especially for “Stroitel” newspaper.