Политика

On November 5, Mayor Dr. Tsvetan Dafov gave a press conference at which he presented his report on the 3-year government (the full text of the report was published in the last issue). He recalled that upon his inauguration on November 1, 1999. Velingrad was a resort with fading functions, many of the bases and hotels were unoccupied, there was no investment interest, 20 years the roads in the city were not asphalted, the streets and the center were without lighting, and the sewers needed a general repair. The mayor explained how each of the listed problems was solved.

He compared what was promised in the election programme and what was achieved. Through the concessions of the baths, the promise of free bathing of pensioners was fulfilled - in this respect the concessionaire of the baths in Chepino "Mavex" Ltd. Pensioners travel at a 50% reduction in urban transport - the promise to travel for free has not been fulfilled, as no new competition for transport lines has been held for 3 years. No land from the municipal land fund was also distributed to socially weak families, as there was not a single request. As an important commitment, the mayor pointed to the Sutka project and called on velingradians to unite in its support during this week's public discussion. The municipality is indebted to residents in terms of service, especially in the TSU department, where young employees have recently been appointed and the future front-office is relied on for better work. It is impossible to fulfill the promise to eradicate the severe unemployment in the area, which in places reaches 95%, the mayor believes.
The promise of strong post-privatization control Dr. Dafov transferred to the Municipal Council, where there is an established commission and it should take responsibility in relation to this sensitive for public opinion problem. In this regard, the mayor will propose that each of the responsible for municipal shares in commercial companies make a report to the session.
The mayor commented on several "hot" topics, including the threats made to him and his family, on which the police had not done their job, the investigator did not gather enough evidence to bring the perpetrators to justice. Dr. Dafov urged the prosecution and the police to also take a stance on the written reports of racketeering and threats to the mayor and municipal councilors by the leader of the OZS Georgi Velev a month ago. If such actions prevail before the eyes of the police and prosecution, then the state returns to times gone by, and Velingrad instead of a place of tranquility is famous for the most thefts of cars and wood, the mayor emphasized.
Asked if the report was also a request for a new term, Dr. Dafov replied that he was now focused on successfully completing this term. I do not reject the possibility that I am, and I am not, the candidate of the UDF, he said. As many events are forthcoming at state and local level, Dr. Dafov will make his personal decision on whether to run for mayor again at a later stage. He explained that he could not guess what the percentage of public trust in him was, as he received distorted information, often broken through commercialized interests. Only people can say if they like what is being done, the mayor concluded philosophically. Elena Baeva