site.btaEuropean Court of Justice Finds Bulgaria in Violation of EU Law Concerning Kaliakra Area

European Court of Justice Finds Bulgaria in Violation of EU Law Concerning Kaliakra Area

Brussels/Luxembourg, January 14 (BTA Correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - The European Court of Justice (ECJ) Thursday ruled that Bulgaria has violated EU law concerning the Kaliakra special protection area.

In March 2014, the EC brought action against Bulgaria to the ECJ over the country's failure to protect unique habitats and important species in the Kaliakra region, a migratory route and resting place for highly endangered species, where large numbers of wind turbines and other developments have been authorised.

The ECJ established that Bulgaria has failed to integrate into the Kaliakra special protection area the areas, in their entirety, that are important for the conservation of birds. Bulgaria granted authorisation for the projects AES Geo Enerdzhi OOD, Disib OOD and Longman Investment OOD in an area which is important for the conservation of birds and which has not been designated as a special protection area, although it should have been so designated. Bulgaria also authorized several projects (Kaliakra Uind Pauar AD, EVN Enertrag Kavarna OOD, Vertikal - Petkov i S-ie OOD, and the Treyshan Klifs Golf and Spa Rezort OOD golf and spa resort) at the Kompleks Kaliakra site of Community importance and in the Belite Skali special area of conservation. Bulgaria failed to assess in an appropriate manner the cumulative effects of the projects authorised in the Kaliakra area which is important for birds' conservation, the ECJ found.

Thursday's decision of the ECJ does not determine the type or amount of penalty for the established violations.