A report by the European Environment Agency has highlighted Bulgaria's severe vulnerability regarding air quality, prompting the environmental association "Za Zemiata" (For the Earth) to seek active measures from the state. The organization has officially notified the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Environment and Waters (MOEW), insisting on full transparency and opportunities for public participation in adapting the Clean Air Directive to the Bulgarian legal framework.
Ambitious frameworks have been set to achieve the goals of the new European directive, with the deadline for its transposition into national legislation being December 11, 2026. The document itself introduces significantly more restrictive limit values for major pollutants, which must be reduced by 2030, and expands the scope of monitoring to include tracking ultrafine particles, black carbon, and ammonia. Additionally, it mandates implementation roadmaps, more detailed air quality plans, the recognition of the right to compensation for health damage caused by administrative violations, and clear legal mechanisms for challenging decisions and inaction by the authorities.
Currently, "Za Zemiata" expresses concern over the lack of public information regarding any preparation of regulatory changes by the MOEW. Therefore, the association insists on:
- Publishing a draft version or proposal for amending the Clean Ambient Air Act and related secondary legislation;
- Presenting a concrete schedule for the process of drafting, discussing, and finally adopting the new regulations;
- Issuing an official position from the ministry on key topics such as the monitoring system, the responsibilities of local and central authorities, and the right of access to justice.
In response to an inquiry on the subject this March, the MOEW assured the media that the necessary steps to fulfill the requirements are already being taken. The ministry clarified that the legislative update will cover the Clean Ambient Air Act and the secondary legislation regulating limit concentrations of harmful substances, monitoring methods, and ways of informing the public.