The 11th in a series of protests in front of the Cabinet offices held to press for extension of Bulgaria’s part of the European ecological conservation network caused, well, a froth.
“Natura 2000 - a soap opera” was the theme of the May 23 demonstration, because, so organisers said, dialogue on the destiny of Bulgaria’s environment is being transformed into a soap opera. The entrance to the Cabinet office was covered with colourful soap bubbles by the protesters.

Entering the Cabinet, only Education Minister Daniel Vulchev stopped to speak to the Natura 2000 supporters who outlined to him their requests, and why they want to meet Cabinet representatives to discuss the Natura 2000 situation.
“Vulchev admitted he is not very well prepared on the Natura 2000 issue,” demonstration organiser Genady Konadrev told The Sofia Echo.
At the beginning of the third month of the series of demonstrations, the Cabinet still has not announced who will compile an inventory of the zones postponed from inclusion in the Natura 2000 network.
No formal justification has been offered for the postponement, nor has clarity been given on the use of the Habitats and the Birds directives to ensure preventive protection of the deferred zones while they remain outside the network, the environmentalists said.
The Cabinet also have not heeded requests for a meeting between the ministers and the scientists who prepared the list of Natura 2000 zones.
On May 17, representatives of Natura 2000 protectors met a Cabinet official. The media was not admitted to the meeting.

The environmentalists were re-directed to the head of the Cabinet office and to Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev secretary to request a meeting. However, the Natura 2000 supporters feared that this represented an attempt by big investors to play for time while they begin projects in many of the postponed zones, which, the environmentalist said, would lead to irreversible devastation of valuable and endemic flora and fauna.

At the end of April, representatives of the 17 environmental organisations in To Sustain Nature in Bulgaria coalition met European Commission (EC) DG Environment commissionaire Stavros Dimas. Dimas said that the EC understood that the list of zones presented by the Bulgarian Government for inclusion in Natura 2000 was incomplete, and that some zones had been excluded because of economic interests. He said this contradicted European legislation.
Dimas said that the Bulgarian Government was obliged to protect even Natura 2000 zones not yet proclaimed as such. According to the EC, Natura 2000 creates preconditions for economic development. Austria was given as an example.

Dimas said that informing the local population was of crucial importance and one of the most urgent tasks related to setting up the Natura 2000 network in Bulgaria.

09:00 Mon 28 May 2007 - Elitsa Grancharova
http://www.sofiaecho.com/