Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov has issued an order forbidding construction for a year at Kaliakra, a natural site on the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast whose preservation has been hotly fought for by environmentalists. The ministry announced this in a press statement on November 23 2008.

The decision was brought about by the presence of the many plans, projects and investment offers for construction in the protected zone; their realisation would likely cause irreversible damage.

Falling under the order is land in the territory of the cities of Balchik and Kavarna and the villages of Tyulenovo, Bozhourets, Kamen Bryag, Sveti Nikola and Topola, for a total area of 441 282.643 decares. Of this, 39.561 sq km is in the sea itself.

The order comes under article 19 section 1 of the Law on Biodiversity, which aims to preserve, to offer preventative protection and to ward off danger of harm and/or reduction of significant natural sites and natural species listed as protected under the Natura 2000 designation Complex Kaliakra.

Specified in Chakurov's document was the forbidding of changing the function and means of long-term use of the land, forests and water areas in the specified territory, excluding cases in which the change would be connected to constructing water treatment plants, waste treatment plants, roads, landslide-area reinforcement and other such technical infrastructure projects, plans, programmes, and investment offers that had started environmental impact assessments before the November 23 order was to be announced in the State Gazette.