Headline: Kопривщица Mayor Denies Birds Died from New Year Fireworks; Calls for Further Investigation
Subhead: Maria Toromanova disputes "Green Balkans" claim, says birds found far from city; investigation underway.
Koprivshtitsa‘s mayor, Maria Toromanova, has challenged a claim by the non-governmental organization "Green Balkans" that hundreds of mountain choughs died in the New Year’s night near the town, with fireworks being cited as the cause. Toromanova maintains that the birds were found far from the city and that there were no fireworks in those areas.
Speaking about the incident, Toromanova said, "We learned about the incident through social media platforms. The ecologists who found the dead birds did not contact our municipality in any way. It’s logical that when such an issue occurs, they should contact us. They claimed they called the emergency number 112, but for me, that’s not true because all signals pass through our duty officers at the municipality."
Toromanova also pointed out that after the incident became public, residents of the city shared pictures on social media, taken before December 31, showing multiple bird carcasses. She stated, "Those hundreds of dead birds they’re talking about aren’t just from New Year’s night. I can’t say for sure what caused their deaths, but I don’t think it was the fireworks."
The mayor mentioned that there were indeed fireworks in the New Year’s night in Koprivshtitsa, but fewer than in previous years. However, she believes that if fireworks were the cause, there should be bird carcasses in larger populated areas where there were more fireworks.
Toromanova has asked the municipality administration to conduct an investigation and is currently looking for an independent laboratory to examine the birds and determine the cause of their deaths. She stated, "We do not deny that there were dead birds, but we see a trend in recent years where people are against New Year’s fireworks. So, we think the situation is more complex than it seems."
Pictures accompanying the article show images shared by "Green Balkans" on their Facebook page, depicting the mountain choughs that were found dead. The organization initially reported that the birds died from the shock caused by the loud noises and bright lights of the fireworks.
The mayor’s statements have sparked a debate in the community, with some residents supporting her stance while others call for a thorough and unbiased investigation.
