Today or tomorrow UNESCO will announce its decision on Pirin

In the draft decision published in UNESCO’s site is expressed concern about what has been happening in Pirin and is insisted the new management plan not to be adopted before being approved by UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and subjected to environmental assessment. The Coalition “Let Nature Remain in Bulgaria” supports UNESCO’s decision, but will insist that in the event of non-conformance to the decision Pirin to automatically enter the list of endangered sites, in tone with previous decisions of the Committee.

“The decision although belated is an action in the right direction. For the first time UNESCO undertakes measures in advance of irreversible changes on the territory of the national park,” says Lyubomir Kostadinov from WWF. Since it is about a site of UNESCO’s world heritage, the attention of the international community is focused on the most important document for the future of a national park – its new management plan.
To out astonishment, although the draft decision on Pirin benefits the Bulgarian State and the national park itself, its adoption is made uncertain by Kazakhstan, without any explanation offered. We hope that its opening for discussion will not debase the good re-make of the Park’s management plan, and will not include our State in the group of those, which have no political will to protect their natural wealth. Bulgaria is not a member of the Committee and does not have a vote, but has sent a substantial delegation led by Deputy-Minister of the Environment and Water Boyko Malinov.


We remind that the project for a new management plan for Pirin National Park, prepared by the firm Proles Engineering was submitted for the third time to the Ministry of the Environment and Water, which had returned it for correction on account of lapses and irregularities. The Draft Decision envisages increase by 14 times of the zone for new construction, particularly around Bansko Ski Zone. The mass tourism zone increases three times. Logging is permitted on 60 percent of the territory of the Park.

A delegation of the international nature protection organization WWF is in Istanbul, which works for the protection of emblematic sites of the world’s natural heritage. Representatives of WWF there expressed their satisfaction with the decisions of the Committee on the Belize barrier reef and Selous Natural Parks in Tanzania, and expressed hope for a similar development when European sites are discussed - Białowieża Forest in Poland and Pirin National Park in Bulgaria.

Follow live the discussions in Istanbul:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/40com/#live

UNESCO’s draft decision for Pirin
http://whc.unesco.org/archive/2016/whc16-40com-7B-en.pdf (Page 175)