All Bulgarians for Rila

The second national tour for Rila was organized by ‘Citizens for Rila’ and the coalition of 30 NGOs ‘Let Nature Remain in Bulgaria’. The meetings resulted in the creation of work groups in Pazardjik, Plovdiv and Karlovo.

The tour continues with informative sessions:

11 March, Tuesday, Gabrovo – 18 p.m, Museum of Education
12 March, Wednesday, Silistra – 16 p.m., Eco club CUNT???, 18.30 p.m. – the big hall in the Youth House
13 March, Thursday, Varna – 18 p.m., Tourist Association ‘Native Balkans’ – Vladimir Mihailov - 0896869174
14 March, Friday, Pleven – 17 p.m., Art Gallery ‘Svetlin Rusev’
15 March, Saturday, Shumen – 14 p.m., Regional Library ‘Stilian Chilingirov’
15 March, Saturday, Novi Pazar
16 March, Sunday, Razgrad

‘A month ago we went to Kazanluk, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Blagoevgrad, Vidin, Plovdiv, Pazardjik, Burgas, Varna, Rousse and Veliko Turnovo and we informed more than 50 journalists and 500 citizens about the illegal construction of three ski resorts in Rila. The latter happen to be in the territory of 2 protected areas and one project zone of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 and National Park Rila’, commented Maria Georgieva from ‘Citizens for Rila’.

‘Created by the Ecological Association ‘For the Earth’ the movie about ski zone Bansko - ‘Banko and Dobri’ was shown to the audience for the first time at these informative meetings. The movie leaves it to the viewer to draw up a conclusion about the difference between the development of the mass ski tourism and the accompanying processes in Bansko and the village tourism in Dobursko village”, explained Cveta Hristova from the Ecological Association ‘For the Earth’, producer of the movie.

Only the preserved nature gives the people a chance for sustainable development, biological agriculture and ecological tourism. The illegal ski resorts are destroying the common national treasure for the benefit of a few’ shared Vera Petkanchin from ‘Citizens for Rila’ and continued: ‘Regarding the village tourism – the money stay in the local community and the nature is preserved. The association ‘Citizens for Rila’ couldn’t agree more with the view that the future of Bulgaria lies in the alternative tourism. The projects for ski resorts near Rila are already 8 – Panichishte, Super Borovets, Iskrovete, Bodrost, Treshtenik, Semkovo, Kostenets and Dolna Bania’.

More than 101 000 signatures of Bulgarian and foreign citizens insist on the termination of the illegal construction of a new ski resort above Panichishte in the outskirts of the National Park Rila adjoining the Seven Rila Lakes. The participants in the campaign ‘For Rila’ call for the institutions to start implementing the laws for preserving the environment and the biodiversity. They filed a request towards the Government to put the zone ‘Rila-Buffer’ (where the seven projects for ski resorts are situated) back in the European Ecological Network Natura 2000.

The coalition of 30 environmental organizations ‘For the Nature in Bulgaria’ is preparing complaints to be sent to the European Commission regarding the lack of preventive defence of Natura 2000 and the breach of the European legislation in the case of the construction of the resorts ‘Super Panichishte’, ‘Super Borovets’ and ‘Bodrost-Kartala’.

For more information, images and maps please visit www.forthenature.org

Contact:
Pazardjik – Yana Papazova – 0877910 909
Plovdiv – Maria Georgieva - 0893 444 328
Karlovo – Alexander Zlatanov - 0884 941 425

Vera Petkanchin, ‘Citizens for Rila’ – tel. 0899 385859
Cveta Hristova, coalition ‘For the Nature in Bulgaria’ – tel. 0895 461 590 or send an e-mail to cveta.hristova@gmail.com