News

The 42nd annual session of UNESCO in Bahrain did not vote the green lobbying project, that requires a mandatory eco-assessment for the management plan of Pirin National Park. Bulgaria also received support that such assessment is only necessary in case there are specific investment intentions such as the construction of a second gondola lift in Bansko.
All 21 World Heritage Committee members have also endorsed the Bulgarian Council of Ministers' decision from December 2017 to amend the current management plan, which allows the start of legal procedures preceding the construction of another gondola. The state must only strictly keep the legal framework in order not to damage the mountain.

The good news was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov at a press conference in the Council of Ministers immediately after the return of the delegation of experts in Bahrain, which was there to defend the position of Bulgaria for the protection of Pirin.

UNESCO deals with the Bulgarian National Park because it is under protection and the international organisation had to react after lots of manipulations. The “Greens” tried to use the Committee to push their personal interests. The initial version of the proposed by the “Greens” solution was to oblige the Bulgarian government to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the new draft plan.

At the closing of the session in Bahrain Valeri Simeonov invited all members of the UNESCO Committee to visit Bansko.

Source: Bansko Tomorrow newspaper