Любен Татарски, председател на регионалната политика и комитета по местно самоуправление в 41 народно събрание – нужен е консенсус за реформата в отрасъл ВиК
Mr Tatarski, the Draft Water Amendment Act is reviewed by the committees at the parliament before being submitted for second reading and voting. Which texts provoke most discussions?
The texts, which are causing problems and most of the debates, relate mainly to the allocation of the property, mostly when it changes from municipal to state property, where it is necessary. One operator is managing the WSS network on the territory of one region. The territory consists of 28 regions – 28 operators – 28 prices. One price per region managed by one operator. These are the texts that provoke the most questions and various opinions, coming mostly from the Association of the municipalities that want to keep the status of the municipal WSS companies.
One other issue to debate on in this draft act relates to dams’ management. There is a proposition to bring in to the scope of activity of the Ministry of economics and energy; however, on the other side, MRDPW wants to keep the management of the dams used for water supply. There is a similar idea to allocate the management of the ones used for irrigation to „Irrigation systems”.
This draft act is aiming to agglomerate the management in the water sector through creating 28 water territory based associations, corresponding to the actual number of regions, with 28 operators and one price per region.
The texts related to the ownership of the facilities have not been discussed yet in the committee.
In connection with this, do you think that agglomerating the WSS companies shall bring positive results to the WSS sector?
Definitely. It will optimise to the sector, the possibilities of the Associations to choose the WSS operators. There will be more opportunities to attract not only European programs’ resources but also private investors through applying different forms of public private partnership. The objective is to optimise the WSS sector through agglomeration, increasing the volume and the capacity of these companies.
As Mayor of the municipality of Razlog and now as deputy to the national Assembly, what is your personal opinion on upcoming reforms in the WSS sector?
As mayor for so many years, I have wanted the WSS Company to be municipal company because that would be the better choice for us. Now, looking through the prism of the national interest, taking in account the existing possibilities and the goals to achieve, I understand that the approach should not be egoistic and prioritise the needs of one municipality or another. We should do our best to renew and stabilise the sector in order to allow it to provide the population with potable water with the necessary quantity and the respective quality; only such agglomeration could make it possible.
I think that the small WSS companies, mostly in smaller municipalities with less financial resources to maintain the WSS network, shall soon experience very hard times, as matter of fact they are now too – over 50 per cent of water losses, no financial resource for repair works, reconstruction and construction of WSS systems.
The minimum needed at this stage would be about 10 – 12 billions of leva, which cannot be achieved even with EU resources, therefore we should look for new forms of financing. I support the reforms in the water sector because these are necessary.
Does it mean that with the adoption of this act the WSS Associations will start working?
The main purpose of this draft is to make the Associations work, as this is the only way to form one regional policy in the water sector. Now the Master plans for the water systems are being prepared and they cannot apply if the work is done piece by piece, without organisation. Therefore, I hope that with the amendments of the Water Act we shall find a way to make all the actors in the sector, both municipal and state, participate in the Associations, in order to develop the respective plans in the interest of the people in each region, where they are carrying their activity.
The water strategy, presented by the MOEW, is also on his way to the Parliament hall. What is the connection between both documents?
The Water Strategy and the Water Act are connected. When the Water Strategy shall be adopted, the Draft Water Amendment Act shall be adopted too. I hope that when we review both documents in the committee we will be able to find the balance between the different propositions for the two documents and ensure that they will be accepted in the Parliament hall. This way we shall provide the legal framework for the reforms in the water sector.
Mr Tatarski, do you think that a WSS Act is needed in order to put together the legal regulations in the sector, which are present in a couple of laws? And in connection with this, do you think that the Water sector management should be centralised?
This idea of a WSS Act is not new. It has not been realised so far. Me personally, I think that the part of the Water Act connected to the WSS sector should be taken out in a separate act, because the Water Act itself has been reconstructed so many times that each modification is making it even harder to apply.
It is no accident that the latest amendments of 2009, related to the establishment of the WSS Associations, could not apply and this part of the act never worked. Therefore, I consider that everything related to the WSS sector should be put together in one law.
Regarding your question whether the Water sector management should be centralised – such schemes exist around the world too, there are such operational mechanisms too. I don’t think we are ready for such step.
May be that will happen after the reforms?
I hope we will be able to make these reforms, otherwise there is no chance to change and stabilise the WSS sector and the Water sector as a whole.
Mr Tatarski, the Bulgarian Water Association is actively participating in the review of the Draft Water Amendment Act. The Association has also submitted propositions prepared by experts in this domain.
When we were discussing in the committee the amendments to the law, we received valuable assistance from the Association, as well as from experts, specialists, representatives of the concerned parties.
Some of the BWA propositions have been approved by the committee. I hope that people will vote for these in the plenary hall. These advices are very useful and I could only thank the Bulgarian Water Association for the active and professional participation.
