The Cabinet in Resignation enlarges illegally Bansko ski zone

What is the problem?

Council of Ministers’ decision is a gross violation of seven Bulgarian laws – of concessions, state property, environment, protected areas, avoiding and establishing conflict of interest, state aid, and of economic and financial relations with associations registered in jurisdictions with preferential tax regime, persons connected to them and their actual owners.
With this decision the State hands out constructed lifts, facilities and ski runs in Bansko ski zone for the ridiculous 26 stotinki per square meter of built area per year, and without auction.

This happens in a year, in which Bulgaria citizens who have suffered from the floods receive from 100 to 500 lev aid, and sick people cannot obtain life-saving treatment, owed to them by the State, but firms with millions of profit annually receive aid.

A part of the granted buildings and facilities fall into Pirin National Park, in which economic activity is prohibited. This violates environment as well as protected areas laws, and also Pirin National Park Management Plan.

Let Nature Remain in Bulgaria Coalition considers the decision of the government in resignation unallowed state aid, provided without the required by law license of the European Union.

According to the law on offshore companies, after July 1, 2014 offshore companies cannot participate in associations in which municipalities or the State participate – as the concessionaire in Bansko ski zone is.

Or, if they participate, the actual owner should be clear and be a citizen of the European Union. However, the offshore T.A.K. Services, registered in British Virgin Islands and with an unclear actual owner, is believed to have a share of 30%.
On account of the hidden owners of the offshore company, it cannot be guaranteed that the members of the government in resignation are not in conflict of interest, with their last gift for the concessionaire of Bansko ski zone.

Amendments to the concession agreement according to Concessions Act can be done only “In case of subsequent emergence of any threat to the national security and defence of the State; to the environment or human health; to protected territories, zones and sites and to public order.”

Now it is Council of Ministers’ turn to explain which of these dangers is the reason why the agreement with Yulen AD is amended?

What do environmentalists want?

Prosecutor’s Office should investigate the decision of the Government in resignation, and should order the environment and waters minister to suspend the execution of the decision.

President Rosen Plevneliev and the appointed by him caretaker government should restore state ownership of Pirin National Park, which is exclusive state property by law.

Parliament’s political forces should reprehend this decision of the Government in resignation taken in the last minute, which symbolizes the continuing behind-the-curtain rule in favour of unclear physical persons.

What are these additional 650 decares?

In 2011, a specially requested inspection by the Ministry of Environment and Waters established, that, as per the concession, the area of Bansko ski zone should be around 990 decares, but actually some 650 decares more had being used. This means that old-growth forests had been felled, and the state has kept its eyes shut, and there are no culprits and no punished.

Consequently, the eco ministry documented that the ski runs Plato-1, Shiligarnik-2 and Strazhite, the burnt teahouse Platoto and a reservoir with volume 15,000 cubic meters had not been regulated under Environment Protection Act (including the lift Zhelezen most – Platoto), there had not construction licenses, or what was available had not been observed. They had not been envisaged in the concession agreement, nor in the Spatial Development Plan of Bansko ski zone, which is regulated by environment impact assessment decision №57-13/31.07.2000.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria has been involved in an international scandal, because Pirin National Park is under the threat to be included in UNESCO World Nature Heritage list in danger.