The recyclability of automobiles reaches 80-90%, which represents an extremely valuable resource, emphasized Rositsa Karamfilova during her hearing before the relevant parliamentary committee. In the context of the country's current economic situation, the Minister of Environment and Water announced that a review of the material balance between expenditures and revenues in the system is underway, with an update to the product fee for motor vehicles to be presented soon.
This comment came in response to an inquiry from Member of Parliament Angel Yanchev of "Vazrazhdane," regarding the mechanisms of eco-taxes. Karamfilova clarified that the Bulgarian legislature has mandated that every vehicle purchase be accompanied by a fee intended to finance the entire process of collection, pre-treatment, and subsequent recycling of end-of-life vehicles.
Another key topic of the discussion was the implementation of the "polluter pays" principle, for which Tatyana Sultanova of "We Continue the Change" requested clarification regarding timelines. In response, the Minister noted that although the Waste Management Act required this to be done six years ago, the deadline has been postponed multiple times, with the current final date being January 1, 2027. "The legislative reformer has set this deadline, and those responsible for implementing the principle are the local authorities," explained Karamfilova.
To facilitate the transition and ensure the implementation of the necessary measures, the ministry she leads plans to allocate additional financial resources under the "Environment" program, which will serve to support local authorities in this process.