In 2007, after the big storm in the region of Irakli and after the river
and the rains flooded the area of the former “investor” Swiss Properties, a
“strengthening” of the river was undertaken by order to the Nessebar
Municipality, done by the construction company of Swiss Properties.
Today, we see how this “cooperation” between Nessebar Municipality and the
repeatedly violating the Bulgarian and European legislation Swiss
Properties, as civic organizations were warning for years, led to the
absolute destruction and death of the life in the river.
Such strengthening is an example of how the pretext that measures are taken
against floods actually leads to complete ecological disaster.
Furthermore, it was obvious what stood behind the building of the dikes and
the cutting of dense forest - the protection of the parcel of Swiss
Properties of any new flood and so changing the natural course of the river
with brutal measures.
After reports and complaints submitted to the Bulgarian and European
institutions, MEW started a “recultivation”, which unfortunately was
consisted only in planting trees and saplings that were not even native.
Environmental organizations and citizens note that this is not a proper
recultivation, the dike needs to be removed and the river restored, as well
as native trees are needed to be plant.
In the face of obvious facts, the Director of the National Nature
Protection Service at the Ministry of Environment and Water Mihail Mihailov
was forced to admit that the dike prevents the recovery of the habitat of
protected species and should not be allowed to be built. However, MEW
continues to insist that the dike has to remain, arguing that the action of
removing it may prevent already taken recovery actions. So once again MEW
demonstrates tolerance to the outrageous actions of the investor. Coalition
of NGO’s “Let the NATURE remain in Bulgaria” once again insist that the
dike should be removed, which is necessary not only for the restoration of
the habitat , but also as a signal that violation of the law will no longer
be accepted as a fait accompli.
Known for its corruption and questionable competence and always a subject
to the juncture – the Ministry of Environment and Water and its regional
structures took heed only of the second part of the note and tried to plant
a rather wrong type of seedlings, but did not put any effort to protect the
civil and legal interest by removing the dike.
Seven years after the flood and the subsequent “corrections” of the
riverbed, the river still has not recovered, which became evident for the
representatives of the European Commission during the field inspection
carried out on 23.10.2013.
Civic group “Let's save Irakli” offered assistance to the Ministry of
Environment and Water and the Burgas Regional Inspectorate by mobilizing
volunteers to help with the removal of currently planted trees on the dike,
to remove the dam and plant new trees and saplings in order to avoid penal
proceedings by the European Union against Bulgaria and the Vaya River to
recover after seven years of half-measures.
Whether our outstretched hand will be accepted or the Ministry will refuse
to undertake activities to restore the river, is yet to be seen.
But we, the citizens, who already fight for eight years for the
conservation of this beautiful place, insist stupid and half-baked, corrupt
and incompetent actions by the central and local governments to stop.
Among the brilliant ideas is the one for the construction of 10 hotel
complexes in the area.
To preserve the natural beauty of this wild place and for it and other such
places to be like it – an example of the potential of civil power to
restore the belief in the rule of law and the right of all of us for clean
environment, it is necessary that the Ministry changes its outdated thought
patterns and start acting as a modern institution and do the job for which
we pay our taxes - to ensure the protection of natural resources and the
implementation of related legislation.
The journey of two lawyers, an ecologist and a representative of the
applicants from Sofia to Irakli for the participation in the field
inspection was carried out thanks to donations from individuals collected
in a fund for legal protection of nature - you can see the details and
supporting documents at http://justice.forthenature.org
And for more detailed information regarding the new “investment” intentions
in the region, see this article on Capital newspaper:
http://www.capital.bg/biznes/kompanii/2013/10/18/2164132_da_zastroim_irakli/
Institutions, citizens and the European Commission are unanimous: “Ploughing up the riverbed of Vaya River in Irakli and the building of a dike has led to the destruction of riparian habitat in the region.
