site.btaProtestors Stage Car March in Bourgas Against "Chasing of Russian Tourists Away"

Protestors Stage Car March in Bourgas Against "Chasing of Russian Tourists Away"

Bourgas, on the Black Sea, March 29 (BTA) - Protestors staged a
car march with nearly 200 vehicles here on Sunday because of the
 "chasing of Russian tourists away". The protestors also
demanded more large-scale advertising of Bulgaria in East
European countries.

Participants in the march said that the protest is peaceful and
they do not want the political parties to turn it into
self-advertising. In their words, they want to show Russian
tourists and citizens that Bulgaria is their friend.

Participating in the protest were brokers, hotel owners,
representatives of the Bulgarian Investment Building Association
 (BIBA), and others. They demanded free visas for Russian
tourists and simplified conditions for their issue. BIBA Chair
Georgi Dimitrov said that now a holiday in Bulgaria is expensive
 for Russians so they should be encouraged to come to this
country by being offered free visas, be it only for a certain
period. The construction business and brokers have registered a
serious drop in the number of Russian property buyers, he noted.
 

Participants in the protest said they want visas to be issued
directly at the airports in Bourgas and Varna during the tourist
 season. This practices is used in other tourist countries, they
 argued.

Commenting on the protest, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said
that there is no official decision or instruction of the Russian
 government telling Russian citizens not to come to Bulgaria.