26.3.2007

NATURA 2000 BY LAW IN BULGARIA

09:00 Mon 26 Mar 2007

http://www.sofiaecho.com/

All investment plans and projects for areas in the Natura 2000 network of protected zones will have to have an ecological assessment and an environmental impact assessment, Bulgarian news agency Mediapool reported. MPs decided this on March 15.

They also approved the first reading of amendments to the Biodiversity Act proposed by Coalition for Bulgaria MP Georgi Bozhinov and a group of MPs. There were 140 votes in favour, seven against and 14 abstentions.

Simultaneously, rejected were amendments proposed by the National Movement Simeon II’s Yani Yanev to appeal against the order by Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov on the protected zones announcement. It concerned the inclusion of zones in Natura 2000. The end vote was 93 for, 47 against and 47 abstentions Arguments were that any appeal would lead to postponment of when the order would come into effect, which, according to MPs, would be followed by a delay in conducting preventive measures in those zones and the engagements taken on by Bulgaria would not be fulfilled.

Yanev proposed informing society about the make-up of the exact area of Natura 2000 before starting research on the potential Natura 2000 area, as well as that a public hearing be held before submitting the proposals for a discussion of protected zones to the National Biodiversity Council.

Instead of this, Parliament approved the first reading of the automatic activation of environmental assessment with the terrain’s entrance among the protected zones.

Excluded from the ecological assessment package will only be plans for setting up of tourist roads, informational and educational equipment, and rest areas, as well as administrative buildings and visitor and information centres whose existence is necessary for the management and achievment of park goals.