Car owners in Bulgaria have the opportunity to express their views and recommendations on the updated Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan.
The measure aims to end the practice of removing catalysts or diesel particulate filters. If a vehicle is found to be non-compliant with emissions requirements at the mandatory annual roadworthiness test, the information will be fed into the single system and the car’s registration will be automatically terminated.
The plan is currently uploaded for public consultation and all interested parties can send their comments to necp@me.government.bg.
The news that cars that do not meet the exhaust emission requirements under environmental standards could be left without registration plates has literally blown up public opinion in recent days. Many car owners have expressed concern that this will lead to mass deregistration of vehicles and make life even more difficult. According to them, the problems are mainly related to the fact that the catalytic converters in question are being stolen in Bulgaria en masse, and their recovery is costly for the owners. Most affected will be people in small settlements and those on low incomes, who risk being left without cars if they do not cover the new measure.
The main objective of the programme is to meet the 2030 obligations to reduce total annual anthropogenic emissions of the following air pollutants. The plan also aims to increase energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and dependence on imported fuels and energy, and ensure that energy is affordable for all consumers.
Many car owners agree with the environmental objectives of the measure, but feel that it is being introduced too harshly without first tackling major problems such as the theft of catalytic converters, their sale for secondary raw materials, people’s low incomes and even the broken roads on which drivers are forced to drive.
Protesting green energy producers to Iskra.bg: We are bankrupt! We are going to the EWRC!
