NGOs, experts and citizens are working together against the draft plan of 'Proles' for new management plan of Pirin

The reasons for rejection are: the project does not meet the requirements of the assignment of the contracting authority; its released blatantly unprofessional - terms from 90s regulation, which was removed are used; the draft neglects rules in modern biodiversity conservation; its conclusions are not based on the latest scientific information; there is controversy between different data in different parts of the project; there is no logical connection between the results of field surveys and planned future activities in the park; project conceals proven violations of the law, committed in connection with the execution of the concession of Bansko Ski Zone, and proposes objectives, modes and activities in favor of new investments in skiing.

Argumentation for the above statements were given in the standpoints of: National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Federation for Tourism and Bulgarian Federation for Hiking and Alpinism, Pirin Tourist Forum, Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism, fishing organizations, 15 NGOs, professors from Sofia University and University of Forestry, scientists at Bulgarian Academy of Scientists and more than 80 other citizens. Some of the observations are above 50 pages. According to the coalition "Let Nature Remain in Bulgaria", the draft plan lowers the standards for the preparation of management plans for protected areas critically and should be completely rejected because its content is not subject to editing, regardless of the opinions and suggestions.

Despite the huge gaps and failures, public discussions in Bansko on 24 July, will lead to final subsidizing of the project, while the state will lose the ability to require performance of the contract in the quality and quantity described in the technical report. Information on the financial violations was sent to the Ministry of Environment and Water, but was left without response, adds the coalition.

"Tomorrow Vitosha's time will come", commented Andrey Ralev from "Coalition for Wildlife "Balkans". The same company, "Proles", is currently developing a new plan for management of the Natural Park "Vitosha" - by that time, the process already seems very disturbing - the materials needed are not provided in advance, all discussions and workshops are in the hunting lodge of "Vitoshko-Studena" - a place with limited access and no public transport. "Difficult access and lack of information deprives the public of the opportunity to participate in the discussion on the future of the park "Vitosha", the most visited protected area in Bulgaria", says Ralev.

Uploaded presentations from previous meetings show significant gaps. The new plan of Vitosha is prepared without sufficient data - field studies of experts of "Proles Engineering Ltd." are held for a very short period of time and unfinished, still no data on the condition and use of forests and reserves is presented, as well as data for the natural reserves "Bistrishko Branishte" and "Torfeno Branishte", which are held by individual management plans. Preparation of norms and regimes without serious descriptive part and grading is considered unprofessional on the opinion of experts of the Coalition "Let Nature Remain in Bulgaria".

"The way of working and our experience from the process of creating the plan for the National Park "Pirin", wakes doubts about the performance of an order, different from the public sector", warn experts from the Coalition.