The municipal councilors of Bansko and Razlog are preparing a new assault on National Park Pirin

“The desire of Bansko and Razlog to build new ski zones in National Park Pirin is explained with the desperate attempts of the investors to sell the hundreds of empty apartments and hotels that over the last few years had been built uncontrollably at the foot of the mountain. The permit of 2000 to build ski-zone Bansko was issued on the condition that the bed capacity of the town does not surpass 7,800 beds, whereas according to data from the mayor of Bansko, in 2010 the bed capacity had reached 20,000. Contrary to the municipal development norms, hotels with thousands of beds were also built around Razlog. Instead of admitting their management mistakes that had led to the uncontrollable overbuilding around Banslo and Razlog, the local municipal councilors are ready to sacrifice the national natural heritage of the Pirin Mountain,” remind from the coalition.
The construction industry and the additional development of the alpine ski sport linked to it will not lead to long-term benefits for the local people as the diminished summer tourist flow to Bansko has already made clear.
Bansko and Razlog could cash on their unique geographic location around National Park Pirin and develop sustainable tourism that is not connected to a one-time destruction of the preserved nature.

The environmentalists are worried that the new projects above Bansko and Razlog would lead to new infringement procedures from the European Commission, while the penalties will be paid out of the pockets of all Bulgarian citizens. In 2009, Bulgaria was censured for the construction of new ski installations in zone Pirin without environmental permits.

National Park Pirin is one of two Bulgarian natural areas included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage list. Already in 2010, the World Natural and Cultural Heritage Convention issued its opinion regarding the devastating impact of the construction of ski-zone Bansko on the unique nature of Pirin.

National Park Pirin has unique natural riches such as more than 120-years old coniferous forests, including the oldest tree on the Balkan Peninsula – the Baikushev white fir.

National Park Pirin is exclusive state property under the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and as such it is the property of all 7.5 million Bulgarians, not just to the 8,412 citizens of municipality Bansko and the 12,944 citizens of municipality Razlog. The interest of this 0.28% of the Bulgarian citizens regarding the management of this common property cannot in any way be considered more important that the interest of the remaining 99.72% Bulgarians, the “For the Nature” coalition says.

Translaton: Margarita Petrova