site.btaEnvironment Minister Withdraws Government-proposed Revision to Concession Contract for Bansko Ski Area

Sofia, December 12 (BTA) - Environment and Water Minister Neno Dimov Tuesday told an extraordinary news conference that he had withdrawn from the Council of Ministers a Government-propoped draft additional agreement to the existing concession contract for the Bansko ski area.

The Government's plan is to increase the concession royalties payable by concession owner Ulen to the public purse by 30 per cent in exchange for which construction of new sport facilities will be allowed and the ski area will be expanded. On Monday, former environment minister Nona Karadjova said that the existing management plan for Pirin National Park does not allow such developments and that no new facilities, such as a second gondola, may be built before the management plan is updated.

Dimov explained that the withdrawal of the draft revision to the Bansko skiing concession was prompted by the ongoing public discussion on the updated management plan for Pirin National Park. Once the discussion ends on December 22, the Environment Minister will table at the Council of Ministers the draft revision together with the updated management plan.

Dimov said that agreement had been sought on the position that the years-old problem with the construction of a second goldola in the Bansko ski area should be solved. In his words, balance is needed between environmental protection and economic development. He noted that the second goldola cannot be built without a revision to the management plan for Pirin National Park.

In Dimov's words, the concessioin contract for the Bansko ski area was signed back in 2001 and being the first contract of this type, it has many imperfections that need to be reconsidered.

The Environment Minister also said that the draft revision to the concession contract and to the management plan are two separate documents that are not legally connected; it is just that the procedure for their public discussion began at the same time.