Parliament gives the green light to reforms in the water sector
At the first reading, Parliament approved a bill to amend the Water Act, proposed by Georgi Chakarov and a group of members of parliament. The changes were supported by 120 deputies from "Progressive Bulgaria" and the DPS, while 54 representatives from GERB-SDS, "Democratic Bulgaria," "We Continue the Change," and "Vazrazhdane" abstained.
The main goal of the bill is to fulfill the commitments under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) for the modernization of the water sector.
Key highlights in the new bill:
- Consolidation: Water and sanitation services will be provided by a single operator in the designated territories.
- Unified standards: Unified indicators for quality and efficiency of services are being introduced across the country.
- Differentiated pricing: Provision is made for distinguishing prices for residential users, non-residential users, and social infrastructure facilities.
- Social affordability: The goal is a balance between the accessibility of services for citizens and the ability to invest in infrastructure.
The changes also include additions to the Act on the Regulation of Water Supply and Sewerage Services to ensure sustainable resource management. The deadline for submitting proposals between the first and second reading has been shortened to three days, which indicates the priority nature of the legislative changes.