Thousands Demand Water In Sofia Protest

A two-month-long water crisis in the Bulgarian town of Pernik and surrounding villages prompted a noisy demonstration in the capital, Sofia, on January 25. The government has come under pressure for a lack of drinking water in the area 25 kilometers west of Sofia. As many as 100,000 people have been affected since November. Prosecutors have charged former Environment Minister Neno Dimov with deliberate mismanagement, claiming he failed to take proper measures to avoid a critical draining of a dam that provides drinking water to the area. Dimov, who faces up to eight years in prison if convicted, has denied any wrongdoing.