Bulgaria PM Sergey Stanishev had a surprise reception last night (April 12) when he was met by protesters and a refuse truck in front of the capital's Sveti Georgi church.

The protesters, members of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) and Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB), barracked Stanishev outside the church in protest at his decision to reinstate the previous cleaning company Novera to help tackle what Stanishev believes is Sofia's growing refuse crisis.

Some protesters, shouting "Mafia" at Stanishev, accused him of forging secret arrangments with Novera, the company whose contract Sofia municipality had decided to suspend in March. Sofia mayor Boyko Borissov has insisted all along that Stanishev's decision to declare an emergency over the supposed rubbish crisis was little more than political finger-pointing in the run-up to Parliamentary elections later this year.

Stanishev, for his part, has always denied that his decisions have been influenced by political factors. "Sofia is the dirtiest capital in Europe; its streets are washed only when God sends rain. It's the Sofia residents who best know the truth about the garbage crisis in the city," he said.  "The Cabinet decided to establish a crisis staff, because the garbage problem in Sofia is permanent," Stanishev explained.

On April 11 Borissov declared that the municipality would challenge in court the Cabinet's decision, taken on April 9, to declare the refuse crisis as an emergency. "Appealing the Cabinet’s decision to establish  crisis HQ on garbage management will be the first thing to do on Monday morning. The garbage problem in Sofia has been solved. This is a PR campaign of PM Stanishev," Borissov said.

The decision to reappoint Novera was made last night following a meeting between the chairman of the crisis HQ on garbage management Todor Modev and Stanishev. Sources from Novera said they were ready to co-operate.