Large-scale investigation of the prosecution revealed violations in Bansko ski zone

Among the most disturbing violations are the constructions, without permission from the Ministry of Environment and Water, of ski lift from Zhelezen most to Platoto, the ski lift in the Chalin Valog area, water tank for facilities for artificial snow supply in the Banderishka poliana area and others.
In the course of the inspections, the prosecution meets several attempts by officials in Bansko Municipality, National Construction Control Directorate and the concessionaire "Ulen" AD to conceal violations. Most often municipal and state officials have tried to mislead the investigating prosecutors that the construction of sports facilities like ski slopes is not built according to the Spatial Development Act (SDA).
According to the opinion of the Ministry of Regional Development from 2004, construction of the ski slopes is a built according the amendments in SDA from 2003. In this case, employees do not explain why a forest road with a width of 5 meters requires building permit, but ski slopes, build with heavy construction equipment, reaching a width of 100 meters and affecting the safety and lives of thousands of skiers, do not require a building permit.
Among the most scandalous attempts to conceal violations is the explanation that employees of the concessionaire "Ulen" AD gave to prosecutors on the question why in Banderishka poliana area is build pond with a volume of 15,000 cubic meters for water supply of artificial snow installations, without the consent of the Environment Ministry. "Ulen" AD explained that the plan of the ski area mistakenly stated that provides a reservoir of 104 cubic meters, while they believe to be 104,000 cubic meters.

In his impudence the concessionaire does not consider, however, that if the current illegal reservoir from 15 thousand cubic meters has an area of 0.57 ha, according to the MEW, than their hypothetical reservoir of 104 thousand cubic meters would occupied an area of 4 ha, which means irrigated Banderishka poliana to be under water. Moreover, the concession agreement explicitly states that in the ski area is provided putting only two reservoirs from 104 cubic meters, which aim not water supplying the installations for artificial snow, but only water supply of tourist sites.

Environmentalists expect the prosecution to finish the inspection in order to establish:

- Which are all the sites in Bansko Ski Zone, permitted or built without being coordinated with the Environment Ministry under the Environmental Protection Act or the Protected Areas Act?

- Who are the officials who should be held penal liable due to the non-admission control and allowance of building sites in Bansko ski area, which are not coordinated with the Environment Ministry and were not provided for in the concession agreement?

The coalition "Let nature remains in Bulgaria" calls on the Council of Ministers first to take measures to restore legality in Pirin National Park and to hold responsible those guilty officials and private companies for the illegal development of the Bansko ski area, thereby ensuring that the development of tourism in Bansko will not continue on this uncontrolled and impudent manner as at the present moment.