One of the most awaited European programs is now open for participation. From today, 40 urban municipalities will be able to apply for ecological transport through the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
However, as expected, Plovdiv is not among them. The program has a budget of BGN 100 million, and the municipalities of Asenovgrad and Karlovo from the Plovdiv region will be able to apply. Thus, the two cities will be able to acquire environmentally friendly vehicles, and 90% of the funds will be free of charge. The maximum budget that each of the participants can absorb is nearly BGN 10 million. This is practically half the amount needed by the Municipality of Plovdiv to start the two municipal lines of “Ecobus – Plovdiv”. However, this will not happen, and at the moment there is no other fund planned in this program period 2021-2027, which provides for the purchase of ecological vehicles.
Electric buses costing BGN 1 million can serve the new lines of public transport in PlovdivThe means of transport runs entirely on batteries and emits no harmful emissions
Why is Plovdiv not among the 40 cities?
Already at the beginning of 2021, when the guidelines for the Recovery and Sustainability Plan came out, it became clear that Plovdiv would not be among the potential beneficiaries of the program. Then TrafficNews wrote that the authors of the Plan placed the Municipality of Plovdiv among the 10 cities that implemented a transport project in the previous program period.
Upgrade? Did Todor Chonov do anything for three months after stopping the e-ticket system? No one saw the announced experimental system, market consultations are also “invisible”
Plovdiv Municipality was the only one of the 10 that did not purchase a single vehicle, as the project was for the “Indra” system, smart traffic lights and bike lanes, but not for the rolling stock. At that time, Plovdiv could not participate because there was no municipal company, and private carriers could not apply.
However, Deputy Mayor Todor Chonov, who is a man of programs, either did not make any attempt to include Plovdiv in the list of potential beneficiaries, or he was not enough. As can be seen from the list of cities for application, there are also a number of other regional cities, in addition to smaller urban centers in the country.
The only “good” news is that the Municipality of Plovdiv now has its own company for ecological urban transport. It is already called by Chonov as the “pearl in the crown”, but still “Ecobus – Plovdiv” is only virtual and on paper. The municipal carrier has a license and documents, a boss and an accountant, but nothing more.
If a new program is not opened by the end of this program period until 2027, which is very likely, then the company “Ekobus – Plovdiv” will become another hanger of the municipal treasury. Each year it will generate salary costs but not carry out any activity. Plovdiv Municipality has already liquidated two such “hollow” companies such as “Zoopark – Plovdiv” and “Incinerator – Plovdiv”.
“The pearl in the crown” of Plovdiv, which can launch 100 electric buses within 3 years. 285 buses have never moved in Plovdiv, in the fall we will launch 228, said Todor Chonov
PR with non-born Petko, or how does one earn a whole term as deputy mayor in Plovdiv with one order? The superlatives for the new public transport system worryingly remind what happened with “Indra”
2023-07-19 20:45:00
#failure #Chonov #Asenovgrad #Karlovo #electric #buses #money #Europe #Plovdiv
