site.btaEnvironment Minister: Hotels and Restaurants Will Not Be Built in Pirin National Park

Sofia, December 30 (BTA) - At a briefing in the southwestern town of Bansko on Saturday, Environment and Water Minister Neno Dimov and Bansko Mayor Georgi Ikonomov clarified a cabinet's decision about the construction of a second gondola lift in Bansko ski area. Dimov ruled out the construction of hotels and restaurants, saying that "only sports infrastructure and facilities will be built". 

Bansko ski area takes 2 per cent and Dobrinishte ski area is 0.6 per cent of the Pirin National Park, a UNESCO world natural heritage site, Dimov said, denying allegations about construction on 48 per cent of the park's area.

On December 28, the cabinet decided that if an investor shows interest in building a second gondola lift in the ski area, Dimov is to take urgent measures consistent with environmental legislation, for the soonest possible implementation of such a project.

Ikonomov stated that EU directives allow the construction of sports facilities in parks, and affirmed that as the town's mayor he would stand in the way of development or overdevelopment in the mountain.