The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) has asked for more answers from Termoenergetica, the capital's heating company, as residents in over 200 blocks of flats in Bucharest are currently deprived of heat and hot water even though temperatures are below 0 degrees Celsius towards the end of the week. FACIAS has been fighting for the rights of Bucharest's citizens since last year, and has already sued the City Hall, asking the court to force the City Hall and the heating company to speed up the work.
As winter approaches, the capital is once again running out of heat and hot water. Residents in about 220 buildings - more than 100,000 people - are now forced to rely on boiled water to wash and face the icy cold in their homes, where temperatures can reach as low as -2°C at night. FACIAS sued Termoenergetica this year for the damage it has caused to citizens in recent years and asked the court to force the heating company to speed up the work. How? To allocate more resources. More people, more money, subcontract the work if there is not enough internal human resources and work in shifts, all to complete the work on time. This did not happen, and now Bucharest is experiencing the same problems.
The Foundation sent out a series of questions these days to see how the scheme is progressing towards 2022. The response received from Termoenergetica only indicates the continuation of the work started in the previous year, without providing a clear plan or timeline for completion. Concretely, nothing new this year. Not only have they not completed what was to be completed last winter, they have not started any work planned for 2023.
The impact on the citizens of Bucharest and the responsibility of state institutions
Local authorities have a legal obligation to provide uninterrupted heating during the cold season! This is not happening. The absence of hot water and heat in hundreds of buildings is not only an inconvenience, but also a serious threat to the health of Bucharest residents. All the more so as the deadlines for completing the work continue to be inexplicably extended.
FACIAS has asked Bucharest City Hall and Termoenergetica in court to provide concrete answers, detailed action plans and to take responsibility for the poor management of the heating system, but also to pay as much as necessary so that Bucharest residents no longer suffer.
FACIAS request
Answer of Termoenergetica Thermal Power Company