site.btaIncreased Interest in Construction of Wind Power Plants in Dobrichka Municipality, Residents Disapprove, Mayor Says

Increased investor interest has been observed in the last months towards the construction of a wind power plant on the territory of Dobrichka Municipality, Northeastern Bulgaria, Mayor Sonya Georgieva told a public discussion on Monday.

"We received the first investment intention from a company that wants to survey 15 plots of land. After a meeting with the company my decision was to initiate a public discussion with the residents of the municipality, tenants, representatives of the agricultural business, the association of grain producers, the association of the chairs of cooperatives on the territory of our municipality and in the entire region," said Georgieva.

She added that the discussion was quite fierce, as the residents and businesses in the municipality categorically opposed the construction of wind power plants in Dobrichka Municipality and in the Dobrudzha region as a whole. "On the same day, it was very surprising to me that we received another such investment intention, which concerns the lands of seven settlements in the municipality", she noted.

The public discussion on Monday was related to the investment intention of a third investor, which would cover only two villages of the municipality. The public discussion was organized by representatives of the investor company, who informed about the intention and the research that the company had done in the region. The company plans to install wind generators at 14 points on the lands of these villages. Many opinions were voiced against the construction of wind power plants on agricultural land, such as that the wind power plants lead to a disturbance in the balance of nature.

"From all this mood and tension that has been observed in the municipality for the last month, my conclusions are that I would not subject myself as mayor, nor the municipal council to make such contradictory decisions that would endanger both agriculture in Dobrichka Municipality, and the life and health of the residents of our municipality," said Georgieva. She noted that she will use the opportunitiy provided by law for the direct participation of citizens in state and local government and will call for a local referendum. "The result of the referendum will be mandatory for everyone, both for investors and for the Municipal Council," Georgieva concluded.