Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov held a working meeting with representatives of the Sofia Municipality, experts, architects, and civil society organizations to discuss the next steps for the ecological restoration of urban rivers in Sofia.

The meeting is another step in his consistent policy for the restoration of urban rivers. It is also a continuation of the vision presented a few days ago at an exhibition organized by the Ministry of Environment and Water to transform Sofia’s rivers into green corridors and living spaces.

The discussion included Lyubomir Georgiev, Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality for Spatial Planning and Urban Development; Martin Kafedzhiyan—Executive Director of EMEPA, Irena Pencheva - Director General of DG “OPE,” architect Gergana Ilieva from the “Kolektivat” Foundation, Engineer Velina Grigorova from “Sofiaplan,” Architect Dimitar Pushnikov, Architect Hristo Genchev, as well as landscape architects and experts with practical experience in working on urban rivers.

Right at the start of the meeting, Minister Popov emphasized that the initiative must be developed as a municipal and civic cause, supported by the state but implemented through broad partnership and expert dialogue. In his words, the key question is what degree of ecological restoration can be achieved for rivers in urban environments without compromising their engineering functions.

The discussion quickly shifted from vision to specifics. Participants agreed that the most effective approach is through real pilot projects that demonstrate in practice what this type of transformation could look like. Specific sections of urban rivers were discussed, as well as opportunities for enhancing areas within park settings where a rapid, visible effect can be achieved with more limited interventions.

During the discussion, the need for a balanced approach - combining ecological restoration with engineering safety - became clear. It was emphasized that the goal is not a return to a completely natural state, but rather the creation of a controlled, nature-friendly environment that simultaneously improves the urban environment and fulfills its functions during high water levels and heavy rainfall.

The experts also raised a number of practical questions related to managing the periodicity of water waves, the sustainability of solutions in riverbeds, and the safety of citizens using these spaces. The need for comprehensive hydrodynamic modeling of river systems was identified as a key prerequisite for progress, enabling large-scale planning of solutions.

Significant emphasis was also placed on the condition of rivers. Participants highlightrd that their restoration begins with improving water quality and limiting pollution, including by stopping illegal discharges. In this regard, the possibility of establishing a system for monitoring water quality in urban environments was also discussed.

Another key topic in the discussion was the lack of complete and accurate information about Sofia’s river network. There was agreement that mapping and surveying the riverbeds is a necessary first step that will enable better planning, management, and protection of these areas.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Popov emphasized that the next stage requires clearly defined actions - from developing specific projects to better coordination among institutions and the use of available financial instruments. In his words, the strongest argument in support of this policy will be the implemented examples that demonstrate how rivers can be transformed from a problem into a resource for the city.