NATURA 2000 TO HAVE POSITIVE EFFECT ON BULGARIA'S TOURISM- ECO PARTY LEADER

Sofia Echo, 6th December 2006

The inclusion of Bulgarian territories in the European environmental network Natura 2000 would have positive effects on Bulgarian tourism, leader of Bulgaria's Party of the Greens Valentin Simov said.

Natura 2000 aimed to preserve nature, one of the country's treasures, and to enable tourists access the protected areas, he said. Simov said as quoted by Focus news agency Natura 2000 would contribute to the development of ecological tourism in Bulgaria.

Authorities had to convince Bulgarians that the owners of property in the protected areas would be compensated, said Simov. Simov used as an example the region selected for Varna port re-location, which was to be included in the protected areas list, but hardly had any rare bird nesting there because of the smoke.

Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov will be responsible for the Natura 2000 consequences because he over-trusted his employees, Simov said. The ministry failed to inform Bulgarians about the compensation and the initiative in general, said he.

According to plans 30 per cent of Bulgaria's territories are to be included in Natura 2000. Property owners from these regions protested against the limitations to be imposed with the introduction of the network, while environmentalists said that more areas should be listed in Natura 2000.



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