Общински сесии

The extraordinary session that the Municipal Council convened to decide the fate of the Cooperative Market did not meet the high expectations. After meetings of three committees - on economy, on urban planning and on municipal property, the councilors came to the single opinion to terminate the announced procedure for giving the Market a concession and to cancel the order of the temporary mayor Angel Toporchev for appointment of a commission on the conduct. The arguments of the committees were that the concession announced by the previous Municipal Council lacked serious economic analyses and reports, it was not clear on the basis of what indicators the price was determined; the issue of investments was addressed unilaterally - they are only for the spot on the Market without solving the infrastructure problems; the requirements of sanitary and hygienic conditions are insufficient; the concession is not consistent with the norms of the European Union, which we strive for. The Municipal Property Commission even made a proposal to build a new market in the city center, as it is clear that the problem of parking in the current market cannot be solved. The decision to terminate the concession procedure was voted by a full majority of the 28 councillors present, including the previous active defenders of the concession in this form Ekaterina Kaferinova and Tsvetan Dafov. The advisor from BZNS-NS repeatedly stressed that the concession decision was perfect and warned that after the termination of the procedure for the Market there were only two options: either a concession with new conditions, or it remains municipal, but there is no legal possibility to make mixed commercial companies. Dr. Dafov announced that he voted for termination of the concession, but he is biting his conscience, because if nothing is done about the Market, the problems of the city are not solved.
Having decided to terminate the concession, the advisers failed to take the next step - what should be done for the Cooperative Market from now on. The big mistake highlighted by the chairman of the Committee on Municipal Property, Georgi Mihaylov, was that the chairman of the Municipal Council, Nejat Kehayov, had not invited a lawyer to explain the legal possibilities. Ivan Puknev outlined the prevailing opinion that a new concession should be announced with more advantageous for the municipality parameters, because it is clear that the municipality does not have financial opportunities to invest in the Market. However, whether this is legally possible should be ruled a lawyer and this should have happened in the ten days we gave ourselves, Mr. Puknev stressed as well. The chairwoman of the Committee on Economy Boryana Belukhova proposed to build a strategy for the future of the Cooperative Market, the committees to meet again and until 31 January 2004. to rule on the form of government of the municipal enterprise. On this G. Mihailov opposes that the budget of the municipality is to be adopted and the decision on the Market must be taken before that to know what revenues and expenses the treasury will have.
In the situation thus created, Chairman N. Kehayov suggested that the committees should meet again, and after legal consultation until the end of January, the Municipal Council should meet again for the Market.
Elena Baeva