site.btaParliament Bans Camping, Car Parking on Beaches

Parliament Bans Camping, Car Parking on Beaches

Sofia, March 1 (BTA) - Voting conclusively amendments to the Black Sea Spatial Development Act on Tuesday, Parliament banned camping and car parking in the 100-m wide coastal strip.

The initial proposal for banning sleeping on beaches was scrapped after meetings with protesting members of the public and objections by several MPs.

MPs introduced a definition for beaches for eco-friendly tourism, which will apply to the beaches Irakli, Byala-Karadere and Koral in order to preserve their biodiversity and ecosystems. Business and recreational operations will be prohibited there. Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova said that the changes were a step ahead in the protection of these beaches.

Nayden Zelenogorski, chair of the parliamentary regional policy committee, said that a proposal for easing regulations for campsites will be submitted within a month. Earlier in the day he met with environmentalists, protesting against the changes to the Black Sea Spatial Development Act.

Zelenogorski said that a large part of campsites in Bulgaria have been destroyed or have closed. "There are very strict requirements for campsites similar to the requirements for the operation of hotels and we'll do everything to ease the legislation, he said."

He added that the latest changes to the Black Sea Spatial Development Act are aimed to preserve nature.

Environmentalists asked for postponement of the camping ban until a categorization of beaches is adopted. According to them, this provision is controversial and unconstitutional. They upheld the need for regulations for eco-friendly camping but said that the national tourist product should be diversified.

Tourism Minister Angelkova said that dunes and beaches are endangered by the parked cars, tents and tonnes of waste.