News - For The Nature

Screening of the film ”Vitosha” in Odeon cinema, Monday, 24 of February

Feb. 20, 2014

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natural landmark, but also a source of health for the inhabitants of the city. The clean air descends down from Vitosha to the city. We all climb the mountain – tourists, as well as skiers. Skiing on the slopes of the highest peak of Vitosha – Cherni vrah, in sunny winter day is amazing experience. Vitosha is dangerously close to the growing capital. Secret arrangements between oligarchs and ruling politicians threaten the statute of the mountain as protected area. Even in its foothills there are constructions.

„When the stupidity marries the big money, monsters are born ” says one of the characters in the film. Paradoxically, precisely this is the conflict that provoked the most sensitive part of the transition generation for the creation of the civil society in Bulgaria.

Farmers`market “Rimska stena” surprised the citizens of Sofia with unique celebration of love and wine

Feb. 18, 2014

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For second year the Association “Sustainable Society“organizes Eco Fest of Love and Wine in Sofia, and this year in Plovdiv as well. The idea was to combine without neglecting any of the holidays – Valentine`s Day and Saint Trifon, implicating them into a joint occasion for music, wine, healthy food, handmade gifts, smiling people and wonderful spirits for whole two days.

School of Ornithology and Nature conservation – Lecture 10 Types of Charadriiformes (Second part)

Feb. 18, 2014

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Despite its small area until now there are more than 420 bird species. If you want to study and to protect them you are welcome to Bulgarian Ornithological Centre. The School of Ornithology and Nature Conservation is free of charge.

10 cities protested for Strandja!

Feb. 13, 2014

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13/02/2014

Despite that we have an order to stop the Master Spatial Plan of Tsarevo municipality, the fight continues! They are trying, again, to throw dust in our eyes, to solve the problem half-way. They promise us, in that way, Strandja will not be built up! With orders which could be canceled and appealed at any time? Do they think that we believe in that? What about the other municipalities which could take advantage of the precedent? Or the Ministry of Environment and Water will become an issuing machine for such orders? How many municipalities are there in Bulgaria? Each of them could ask for their Master Spatial Plan to pass without a SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment)! How many orders should there be issued? How many protests should we make in order to save this or that? How many legal actions should the European Commission take against us?

World Wetlands Day Marked in Shabla

“GREEN BALKANS' Federation

Feb. 12, 2014

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World Wetlands Day was marked at the Green Training Center in Shabla on 7th February 2014. Students from the ‘Prof Alexander Zlatarov’ school took part.

WWF forest experts to discuss green economy in Sofia

WWF Danube - Carpathian Programme in Bulgaria

Feb. 12, 2014

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WWF gathers over 70 forest experts from over 20 countries in February 10 - 14, 2014, in order to set up new ambitious strategies for world forests protection. The choice of Sofia is not random – it speaks for the importance of Bulgarian natural resources, unique forests and rivers and the importance of their protection from increasing human activities on them.

Strandja is in danger following a half-baked decision, party activists will manage national parks. Protests in 10 cities on Tuesday night.

Feb. 11, 2014

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Sofia, 10 February 2014 – the NGO Coalition ‘For the Nature’ warns that the precedent which threatened Strandja National Park is still in force, despite the fact that the Regional Development Minister started a procedure to amend the Tzarevo municipal Management Plan (MP) on Friday, and barred the implementation of the 2008 Plan. At the same time, the appointment of party activists without the required qualifications within protected areas continues. Lately, five of the 11 nature parks and all three national parks have had new directors appointed. The most recent example is the replacement of Balgarka Nature Park’s director with Ali Aliev, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) chairman for Sevlievo since 2009.

Regional Development Minister has revoked the application of Tsarevo Masterplan from 2008, but the protests continue! This is not enough

Feb. 10, 2014

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Surprisingly, the incumbents have made a step backward, and the Regional Development Minister has started a procedure for amendment of the Master Plan of Tsarevo Municipality, and revoked the application of the Master Plan from 2008. Yes, this is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough, because the precedent which took us to the streets and which threatened Strandzha is still in force. And though the Ministry of Regional Development revokes the Master Plan of Tsarevo municipality, another municipality may take advantage of it tomorrow and request its Master Plan to be adopted without environment assessment! Furthermore, this decree issued by a minister may be revoked by another one or even by the same one tomorrow! That is why we need decisions that will last – decisions in the laws, guaranteeing that this plan will not be possible to enter into force on the will of someone politician.
This is why the campaign continues until we achieve security not only about Strandzha, but for all threatened natural spots, until citizens are granted justice in territorial development and environment protection!

Did they really put an end to the Master Spatial Plan of Tsarevo Municipality?

Feb. 07, 2014

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07/02/2014

The coalition of non-governmental organizations and citizen groups “Let the nature remain in Bulgaria” asked , with respect to the Access to Public Information Act, about the text of the order issued by the Regional Minister , for which it has been claimed that it stops the Master Spatial Plan of Tsarevo Municipality until the plan has been updated. After we obtain the text, we will be able to comment.

Is Stara Zagora afraid to talk about coal industry issues?

Za zemiata (“For the Earth”) Association

Feb. 06, 2014

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Today, 06.02.2014, environmental association For the Earth has sent an Open letter [1"> addressed to the mayor of Stara Zagora – Zhivko Todorov – devoted to the obstacles that the municipality has caused during the organization of a film festival, related to the conflicts resulting from the coal industry in the region.

Plovdiv Marks World Wetlands Day 2014 with Several Events

“GREEN BALKANS' Federation

Feb. 06, 2014

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February 2, 2014 Green Balkans

This year Green Balkans organized three separate events to celebrate the
World Wetlands Day 2014, on February 2nd, this year, in Plovdiv. Official
celebration will also take place at the end of this week in the Ecological
center in Shabla.

Increasing the capacity of the ecologists from the Black sea Municipalities for action in cases of Cetaceans strandings

“GREEN BALKANS' Federation

Feb. 06, 2014

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06.02.2014 Green Balkans

The problem with the dead Cetaceans strandings on the beaches has provoked numerous negative reactions by the society for the recent few years.

The experts from “Green Balkans” in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Water and the municipalities on the Black sea coastline are searching for effective solutions for managing the emerging situations , so that the risks for the tourists to be diminished and to improve the information gathering about such cases.

Five Bulgarian cities protesting for the protection of Strandja tonight

Jan. 28, 2014

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28.01.2014

Coallition "For the Nature"reminds that tonight, 28.01.2014 citizens organize civic protests for the protection of Stranja. The protests will start at 18:00 oçlock and will be held in Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas and Ruse

The protest in Sofia will start at 18:00 o'clock with a starting point the Courthouse and will pass by the Supreme administrative court and will end at the Kristal park

https://www.facebook.com/events/817050001644893/821165217900038

Plovidv - the protest wil start at at 18:00 o'clock on Stefan Stambolov square

https://www.facebook.com/events/1374849592780610/

Bourgas – the protest wil start at at 18:00 o'clock with Meeting point the Clock tower
https://www.facebook.com/events/1470837343143598/

Ruse – the protest wil start at at 18:00 o'clock with meeting place - Halite

https://www.facebook.com/events/198376077028838/

Sliven – the protest wil start at at 18:00 o'clock with meeting place -the Old Elm tree

Park Strandja needs laws, not promises

Jan. 26, 2014

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26.01.2014

Sofia

The coalition of NGOs and citizens’ initiatives “For the Nature” is surprised
by the expression of desire of the Prime Minister and leader of the major political group
in the Parliament to save Strandja Nature park, as the
Tsarevo Municipality Development Master Plan has come into force without
the required environmental assessment.

We have started two petitions for Strandzha

Jan. 24, 2014

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The first is addressed to Chief Prosecutor and calls for revocation of
Decision №543/15.01.2014 on administrative case № 13729/2013 on the Master
Plan for development of Tsarevo Municipality: http://www.peticiq.com/70771
The other is to the National Assembly, the European Commission and the
Parliament:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/NARODNO_SBRANIE_EVROPEYSKI_PARLAMENT_EVROPEYSKA_KOMISIYa_SVET_NA_ES_Zapazete_Priroden_park_Strandzha/?copy

Please join and distribute!

Environmentalists push for quick legislative changes to save Strandja Nature Park from urbanization

Jan. 23, 2014

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Sofia, January 23, 2014 - Coalition of NGOs and civic groups " For the Nature in Bulgaria" faces round to the parliament , the government, Attorney General and Ombudsman for the future of Strandja Nature Park .

Once again Strandja Nature Park threatened by overbuilding, the government “works” for new penal proceedings

Jan. 17, 2014

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Sofia, January 17, 2014 – The coalition of NGOs and civic groups “Let the NATURE remain in Bulgaria" is highly indignant that seven years later, the Bulgarian state once again wants to overbuild the Strandja Nature Park despite the threat of three penal proceedings by the European Commission.

‘Transparent Mountains’: А new platform for civic participation

BALKANI Wildlife Society

Nov. 22, 2013

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“Transparent Mountains” is an initiative to improve the content of
documents, which are important for the management of the mountain resources
through participation of the civil society.*

The subjects of our work are: FORESTS, WATER and ORGANISATION OF
TERRITORIES. The area on which we are focused is southwest Bulgaria and
includes areas in and around the Rila, Pirin, Western Rhodopes and Vitosha
Mountains.

Scandalous conference of the pro-shale gas lobby

Nov. 11, 2013

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On November 6 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Great Hall of the Bulgarian
Academy of Sciences (BAS) was held a conference on “Perspectives for the
domestic production of oil and gas in Bulgaria - natural, economic and
environmental aspects.” This conference was a model for obvious
manipulation by the lobby of the oil and gas companies over the Bulgarian
academic community. In this regard, we – the Civic Initiative “Ban shale
gas exploration and production by the method of hydraulic fracturing in
Bulgaria” – want to express our strong indignation of the arrogant use of
BAS for lobbying purposes.

The government continues to stay idle, while the Seven Rila Lakes disappear

Nov. 10, 2013

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Sofia, November 8, 2013 - As in recent months no action are taken by the government on the issue of the destruction of the Seven Rila Lakes, which could lead to their extinction, the coalition of NGOs and civic groups “Let the NATURE remain in Bulgaria” demands: