A series of four actions representing four of the classical elements – wind, earth, water and fire – will be presented in front of the Cabinet at Nezavisimost Square for four consecutive weeks, every Thursday at 9.30am. In this way, activists will show the extent of their support for the Natura 2000 environmental network in Bulgaria. They insist on 33 per cent of the country’s territory being protected by law.

The first action, on April 19, saw environmentalists bursting special biodegradable balloons symbolising the bursting of lies, one by one, about Natura 2000, the environmentalists said.

“We will not refuse if someone interprets our action as a hint that the ministers are ‘air under pressure’,” environmentalist Genadi Kondarev said.

The action was conducted while the ministers were entering the building before their regular meeting and in connection with Earth Day.

The public presence of environmentalists a week later on April 26 saw the Natura 2000 protectors planting, in front of the Cabinet, trees in soil from all parts of Bulgaria and excluded from the environmental network zones.

“After flight comes landing; we nourish ourselves with the life-giving energy of the Earth,” the environmentalists explained. “We come from it, we will go there and and we live every day thanks to its fruits – without them and without the Earth we will not exist.”

On April 18, Bulgarian-language 24 Chassa reported that Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) was going to complain in European Parliament about the poor fulfilment of Bulgaria’s agreements connected to Natura 2000. DSB is protesting mostly against the cut of about 50 per cent of the list of territories initially proposed for inclusion in the protected zones network.

“This is happening under the pressure of investors who are part of a companies ring. They will lead to the devastation of heavenly places of our nature and endangered species disappearance,” said former minister of Environment and Water Affairs Evdokia Maneva.

Moreover, others influenced by the Natura 2000 – real estate brokers – said the land market in some parts of Bansko and Razlog has been at a standstill since the beginning of 2007. The demand for land in areas expected to be included in the environmental network has decreased. Land in the Razlog area is offered at 70 euro a sq m but there are no buyers. Only small plots are sold near Bansko at this point. The average price stands at 200 euro a sq m.

On April 26, Minister of Environment and Water Affairs Djevdet Chakurov was to meet representatives of DG Environment who were coming in Bulgaria in connection to the Natura 2000 structure. The Ministry of Environment and Water Affairs organised a visit to view the devastation in the Banko area of Pirin National Park for the EU commissioners. They were to be accompanied by environmentalists who had worked on Natura 2000, the ministry said. Other European Commission envoys will investigate the reasons for the reduction of territories along the Black Sea coast.