Environmental Minister Neno Dimov leaves the future of Pirin in the hands of the concessionaire of Bansko Ski Zone, hiding behind the Court

What is it about?

During the time of the then-Environmental Minister Irina Kostova from the caretaker government, in the beginning of 2017, steps for the new Management Plan for Pirin National Park were made for it to be approved as quickly as possible. This plan however is morally corrupt. It allows construction on 12.5 times more area of the national park in comparison to the present, as well as cutting down trees on 60 percent of the territory of the park. The Plan is funded by the EU.

The caretaker government minister issued a decree the draft plan not to undergo mandatory strategic environmental assessment (SEA). Momentarily, Environmental protection organizations and citizens appealed against the decision of the eco minister for no environmental assessment. Following a few days of public unrest she issued a second decision – that the plan should undergo mandatory SEA.

The authors of the draft plan, the concessionaire of Bansko ski area as well as the two municipalities of Bansko and Razlog however appealed against the decision of the Eco Minister for mandatory SEA. Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) decided first to review the decision that the plan should pass SEA.

Three-member SAC committee decided in August 2017 that the decision the plan to pass SEA is not issued in compliance with all provisions of the law. One of the three judges wrote a comprehensive dissenting opinion.

The incumbent Minister of the Environment and Water Neno Dimov did not appeal to a higher instance this first decision of SAC and it entered into force.

Thus the Eco Ministry has not taken the side of the law and protection of the environment, but has instead legitimized further destruction of Pirin. It is important to note that neither MEW not the Court have found necessary to summon all the stakeholder, as the law requires.

What is next?
Supreme Administrative Court ought to review the petition from organizations from For the Nature Coalition and citizens against the decision of ex-Eco Minister Irina Kostova that the new draft Management Plan for Pirin National Park has not to undergo mandatory SEA.

But if Environmental Minister Neno Dimov can right now and immediately he should issue a new decree ordering the draft Management Plan for Pirin National Park to become a subject of SEA. And there is no need to await any decisions by SAC following appeals against the chaotic orders of the caretaker government Eco Minister misled by officials from MEW.

For the Nature Coalition thinks that senior officials from the Ministry of the Environment and Water itself and its dependent Pirin National Park Directorate have to take the responsibility for the poor draft management plan and for its chaotic endorsement procedure, and for its clear contradiction with the requirements of UNESCO for management of the world natural heritage.

In the last nine months more than 100 thousand people from the whole world have signed against the plans for construction and cutting down the forests of Pirin, part of UNESCO’s World Natural Heritage and European ecological network of Natura 2000. With a direct e-mail all these people have requested Prime Minister Boiko Borisov to order the draft plan to be reworked, and all articles which will ruin mountain and ravish the livelihood of local people to be removed.

The petition is still open on wwf.bg/pirin