During the past two years, hundreds of citizens and media have supported the campaign "For the Nature" organized by the coalition of environmental organizations with the same name. As a result of these environmental activities, a few incredible achievements were gained:
1. Nature park "Strandzha" was restored, despite the decision for closing it, issued by the Supreme Administrative Court in 2006.
Tsarevo municipality together with the investor Krash, have put effort in closing the Nature Park in the beginning of 2006, after the construction works of the tourist complex "Golden pearl" were determined illegal. Mass protests and active civil stand during the next few weeks have been persuasive enough for the National Assembly and a law has been adopted in protection not only of park "Strandzha" but for all other protected territories in Bulgaria.
2. The ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria is close to being accepted in its full volume (34% of Bulgaria"s area), as proposed by nature scientists and NGOs.
Government institutions have had the intention to define no more than 5% of Bulgarian territory as a part of Natura 2000, e.g. the already existing territory under protection. However, thanks to the weekly civil protests, information campaigns concerning Natura 2000 along the country and the intensive communication with Bulgarian institutions and the European Commission, our Government was threatened with stopping of European Structural Funds and gradually has accepted 33,89 % of Bulgaria"s territory in Natura 2000. Additional territories are expected to be added, incl. Rila-buffer.
3. Stopping of the illegal felling in the unapproved ski resort "Panichishte- Ezerata- Kabul".
In 2007, environmental organizations detected numerous law violations accompanying the building works of the unapproved ski resort in Rila National Park and the proposed Natura 2000 site "Rila- buffer". In March 2008, the State Forest Agency was the only Bulgarian institution, which enacted a halt of the logging of trees until the case is clarified. Another competent body, namely the Ministry of Environment and Water, has drawn up statements only in order to legalize the illegal building of a lift and road, which continues today.
