Ruse is one of the cities with the most polluted air in the country. But alongside fine particulate matter, virtual passenger liners and real anti-hail planes frequently fly over “Little Vienna.” Topics regarding air quality and the future of the local airport have become some of the most discussed issues two weeks before the local vote on October 29.
Twelve candidates are competing for the mayoral position in Ruse, but only three have a real chance of victory: the current mayor from the “BSP for Bulgaria” coalition, Pencho Milkov; Rena Stefanova from the “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” coalition; and Ivan Ivanov from GERB.
Is the Air Clean, Clean, How Clean Can It Be?
Air quality is the primary concern for the people of Ruse. Protests and citizen reports alternate with checks by the municipality and the regional environmental inspection in the city’s industrial areas. This has been the case for over 30 years, resulting in no significant changes. Responsibility is constantly shifted between the municipality and the state.
In his management program for 2023-2027, Milkov, who is running for a second term, once again emphasizes the importance of air quality. In 2019, Milkov also promised to tackle pollution, stating that “the mayor of Ruse cannot clean the air alone.” This should be a state policy. He also mentioned in an interview that he would provide complete information about the pollutants.
During his term, Milkov fulfilled his promise to create a Public Council on the Environment, which includes citizens and representatives of NGOs for addressing air quality issues. However, the effectiveness of this body has been questioned, and its role has remained purely advisory.
Four years later, the situation in Ruse does not seem to have changed—citizens report heavy, suffocating odors almost daily during the night. Between September 4 and 27, 546 reports were submitted. Measuring stations placed at various locations in the city rarely register breaches of the norms, but as Milkov himself admitted, “There is no pollution, but the unpleasant smell is a fact.”
A day before the start of her election campaign, Rena Stefanova, the candidate from the “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” coalition, met with the Minister of Environment and Water. During this meeting, it was announced that inspections would be conducted “in response to the growing public interest in the quality of atmospheric air in Ruse.”
In her management program, Stefanova states that a specialized municipal unit for “Control, Protection, Public Order, and Security” will monitor the Western Industrial Zone every night. She also proposes to install air quality sensors throughout the city to show wind direction, fine particulate matter, and specific chemicals characteristic of the area. Another idea from Stefanova’s program is to propose to the municipal authorities to send a request to the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture for the development of a “Regulation on Odors.” However, there is no information on what measures or pollution indicators this might contain.
The GERB candidate for mayor and current director of “Kanev” hospital in Ruse, Ivan Ivanov, has not yet publicly announced his management program. It was not provided even after an inquiry from “Za Istinata” to the party’s regional structure. In an interview with Euronews Bulgaria, Ivanov was asked specific questions about his stance on the local authorities’ actions regarding Ruse Airport and the buffer parking near the Danube Bridge, which an Anti-Corruption Fund investigation revealed to be connected with the corruption model at the “Kapitan Andreevo” border checkpoint.
To both questions, Ivanov replied succinctly, “I have not attended the debates.”
The Future of Ruse Airport
Ruse Airport has been municipal property since 2015. Since then, the local authorities have attempted to revive its operations. Until recently, these attempts have been unsuccessful. At the end of last year, the company “Airport Ruse” expressed its intention to restore civil aviation. Through an expedited procedure without a tender or competition, the Municipality of Ruse granted a gratuitous right of use for the next 10 years within just a few days. The decision was supported by 47 municipal councilors, with only one voting against.
The current mayor, Pencho Milkov, called the moment “historical” and stated that “the whole of Bulgaria knows that Ruse wants to restore commercial flights.” However, the signed contract does not guarantee that this will happen. A critical stance on the issue comes from the candidate for “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria,” Rena Stefanova, who challenged the municipal council’s decision in the Administrative Court. According to her, it is “opaque, not according to the rules, and not in the interest of the residents of Ruse.”
Later, the court dismissed the complaint from Stefanova and eight other citizens without consideration after requiring evidence of legal interest.
Ultimately, the court did not review Stefanova’s complaint regarding Ruse Airport.
GERB candidate Ivan Ivanov has a more positive view of the current local government’s actions regarding the airport. In his only television interview to date, he stated:
“Airport Ruse was returned as municipal property during the previous GERB administration. This is a wonderful act because Ruse is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria, and one of the key components for the city’s development is transportation. I have not attended the debates. I know that it has been granted with clearly outlined obligations that need to be fulfilled. Personally, as a citizen, I welcome this aspect because we are already seeing real results from the airport’s activities.”
Whichever candidate takes the mayoral position after the elections at the end of this month will have to wait at least a year and a half before they can take action to protect the interests of the residents of Ruse if the promise of regular passenger flights is not fulfilled.
After the First Round, What’s Next?
Two weeks before the local government elections in Ruse, one thing is certain—there will be no clear winner after the first round on October 29. The possible scenarios for the second round are two: a battle between the candidates from BSP and “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” or GERB.
In the runoff, SDS, which traditionally nominates its own mayoral candidate at the local level, would likely support GERB, as happened in the 2019 elections. Potential support could also come from DPS and the local coalition “Bulgaria of the Regions.”
It will be interesting to see whom GERB and “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria” will support if their candidate fails to advance from the competition on October 29.
