site.btaParliament Adopts Conclusively Amendments to Biodiversity Act Related to Natura 2000 Management

Parliament Thursday adopted conclusively amendments to the Biodiversity Act related to the management of EU's Natura 2000 network of protected areas. The amendments designate the Environment Minister as the national authority for the network's management, and regulate his powers.

The director of the regional inspectorate is the regional management authority for the protected areas and parts of protected areas falling within the territorial scope of the respective regional environmental and water inspectorate. For protected areas within the territories of national parks, the management authority shall be the director of the national park concerned, and for protected areas and parts of protected areas falling within the maritime areas of Bulgaria - the director of the Black Sea Basin Directorate.

The obligation to define detailed conservation objectives for protected areas and to develop territorial management plans is introduced. The composition of the National Biodiversity Council is expanded to include representatives of territorial and local authorities and nationally represented trade unions, employers, sectoral and other organisations.

Parliament agreed that the Environment Minister will develop a National Framework for Priority Actions for Natura 2000, setting out measures to maintain or restore natural habitat types and species, including birds, in protected areas. The framework will be adopted by the Council of Ministers and will last for six years, with the possibility of review and update if necessary every two years. 

MPs withdrew their unsupported motions on the bill tabled by the caretaker government. Mladen Shishkov of GERB-UDF explained that this bill is a condition for unlocking the second payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and MPs have withdrawn their proposals in order not to slow down the process. 

Ivan Belchev of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) pointed out that some of the rare and protected species in the European Union, such as the beaver, the salamander, the forest dormouse, have been protected by the Habitats Directive since 1992 and the member states are obliged to declare protected areas for them. The species are also found in Bulgaria, but the bill refuses to protect them by not including them in the appendices of the Biodiversity Act. "I support the protection of endangered species and this is what my colleagues from CC-DB and I will do through a legislative initiative as soon as possible," he added.

Shishkov commented that each additional protected species creates conditions for additional restrictions on business. In his opinion, the necessary balance must be found so that by protecting an animal, they also protect people's rights. 

Environment Minister Julian Popov assured that his Ministry will provide all its expert capacity so that the proposals that have been withdrawn can be integrated as soon as this law is adopted. "I am confident that the balance between nature and business can not only be achieved, but natural development can also become an economic asset for the country," he added.