The original idea of the exchanges is to enlarge the inherited lands after their restitution to small landowners, which is good. In practice, however, by exchanging lands the country actually places seaside and mountain forests at the disposal of certain firms and individuals, in exchange of parcelled private woodlands with lower qualities (compared to woodlands in and surrounding parks, or dunes, which are misnamed as wood fund in the cadastre).
Subsequently, those disposed state forests are being recategorized, cut down and turned into appetizing private areas for construction. The profit of such land exchange is cosmic. In reality landowners buy area, where 1000 square meters is 200 leva. After that they exchange it for another 1000 square meters. In such way 1000 square meters may reach hundreds of times higher price. Because of the big differences in market prices of such lands, the country makes losses for billions of leva. According to the European legislation (free competition act), this is an illegal state help for the private investor.
Why is the land exchange a problem?
Petitions
PETITION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the delay of 4 and а half years of the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria to designate the proposed by the environmental and scientific community Natura 2000 zone RILA BUFFER in Rila Mountain
03.07.2011 - 31.01.2013
286 signed >PETITION regarding the attempts of the Bulgarian Government to legalize 64.7 hectares of illegal cuttings in Pirin National Park by making amendments to existing legislation
03.07.2011 - 31.01.2013
1118 signed >Petition for clean air in the region of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
20.02.2010 - 31.12.2012
1862 signed >A petition asking for the illegal ski lift in Panichishte to be removed and the laws in National Park Rila to be applied
10.04.2009 - 31.12.2012
4206 signed >
Donations
You can make a donation for the campaign "Let nature remain in Bulgaria". Thank you!