Pernik

Bulgaria has requested 1 million tests for COVID-19 in the joint European order, it became clear from the words of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who is in Pernik for the launch of the new water supply system.

"Today, I personally ordered 1 million tests," the prime minister said.

President Rumen Radev made a formal address to the people, in which he strongly criticized the government. In it, he announced that he officially withdraws his trust from the cabinet "Borissov 3".

President Rumen Radev announced on Tuesday that he is withdrawing his support from the government coalition made up of the GERB party, which has been in power for a decade, and the United Patriots.

"Today, the division is not between left and right, the capital and the provinces, but between vicious power and millions of honourable Bulgarians," Radev said.

In two weeks time, Studena Dam, from which the town of Pernik gets its drinking water, will reach a dead volume. This was announced by Mayor of Pernik, Stanislav Vladimirov, during the meeting of the Standing Committee on Engineering Infrastructure and Energy Planning in the Sofia Municipality on January 20.

Bulgaria's Minister of Regional Development Petya Avramova said on Tuesday that state-owned company Montaji will build a 13.5-kilometre water pipeline from the capital Sofia to Pernik in a bid to resolve the water crisis that has already sparked a minister's resignation.

The District Prosecutor's Office in the town of Dupnitsa on January 17 launched an investigation into Bobov Dol Thermal Power Plant (TPP) for crimes against public health and the environment. Pre-trial proceedings for a commited crime have been initiated, BNT reported.

Following the arrest of the previous Ecology Minister, Neno Dimov - and amid growing turmoil over alarming levels of pollution - Bulgaria on Wednesday appointed a new Ecology and Water Minister despite what critics say is his questionable reputation.

The fires are extinguished with resignations, money distribution and postponement, but such methods exhaust their effectiveness and do not solve problems, said the head of state in Belovo.

Despite the cancellation of the main Surva festival in the town of Pernik this year because of a water supply crisis, Bulgarians took to the streets independently at the weekend in elaborate 'kuker' costumes for their annual winter carnival.

Bulgaria's Minister of Environment and Water, Neno Dimov, on January 10 was accused of deliberate mismanagement. He remains in custody for 72 hours. The Prosecutor's Office will seek for remand.