To coincide with the chairperson of the European Commission (EC) Jose Manuel Barroso’s visit to Bulgaria, on March 28, To Sustain the Nature in Bulgaria (SNB), a coalition of 30 non-governmental organisations, and the initiative group Citizens for Rila (CR) are organising a protest to highlight the plight of Rila Mountain, WWF Bulgaria said in a media statement on March 26.

The activists will gather at 4.30pm on March 28 in the garden between the Parliament building and Sofia University.

“The event is meant to draw EC attention to the lack of action by the Bulgarian Government against the illegal construction of ski facilities in the region of the Seven Rila Lakes, which are part of the European environmental network Natura 2000,” WWF Bulgaria said.

Although it was discovered that the construction broke nine laws and two European directives, the Minister of Environment and Water Affairs Djevdet Chakurov refused to halt the building work and order the restoration of the land affected.

SNB and CR insist on “the immediate cancellation of the construction of the lift between the Rila Mountain huts Pionerska and Rilski Ezera; the full restoration of the affected zones to their former state; an effective ban on motor vehicles in Rila National Park, including skidoos and piste bashers; the European and the Bulgarian legislation concerning Natura 2000 in Rila being respected; the inclusion of the Rila Buffer zone in Natura 2000, without the exclusion of Panichishte because of pressure from investors; and real state co-operation for the development of alternative and village tourism, which brings income to the local population”.