GlobalDescriptionhttp://en.forthenature.org/Simeon Stavrev | studio.stavrev.net, Martin Ivanov | ensoart.eu, Iv Draganov | druuf.comThu, 29 Mar 2012 13:19:34 +0200Simeon Stavrev | studio.stavrev.net, Martin Ivanov | ensoart.eu, Iv Draganov | druuf.com We, the members of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents (ABTTA) and the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism (BAAT), bringing together companies, whose professional territory is the tourism in Bulgaria, consider that the adoption of legislative decisions concerning the Bulgarian tourist industry without prior consultation with us - its representatives, is unacceptable. The adopting of a new law on tourism, that has been an year delayed, already gives negative fruits. The slow reaction, connected with the development in the big resorts in the past decade, has made Bulgaria the country with the lowest occupancy of the Base Bed capacity in the EU - less than 20% annually!

Translation: Iliyana Matova]]> http://en.forthenature.org/documents/822 http://en.forthenature.org/documents/822 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:19:34 +0200 Documents The failure by governments to fully apply the EU’s environmental laws drains our economy of an estimated €50 billion a year, due mainly to costs to our health and of cleaning up the environment. Ensuring EU laws are applied consistently results in a cleaner, more sustainable environment – and is better for our health and the economy. For example, strictly applying EU laws on waste would create 400 000 jobs and save €72 billion (compared to a scenario in which the laws are not applied).]]> http://en.forthenature.org/news/2348 http://en.forthenature.org/news/2348 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:09:43 +0200 News The proposed changes will make it easier to cut down forests to construct new lift installations and skiing slopes; to carry out complete clearance of forest areas that consequently causes mud slides and floods this concerns the most vulnerable part of Bulgaria’s forests, those which have been designated as national parks and which represent only 5% of the territory.]]> http://en.forthenature.org/media/1539 http://en.forthenature.org/media/1539 Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:51:15 +0200 Media Bulgarian environmentalist staged once again Saturday a protest rally against looming amendments to the Forestry Act.

The march was organized by the coalition of NGOs, known as "For Keeping Nature in Bulgaria" with the support of other civic organizations. Rallies are also held in the cities of Plovdiv and Burgas.]]> http://en.forthenature.org/media/1538 http://en.forthenature.org/media/1538 Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:50:05 +0200 Media Sofia, February 24th 2012 – The change of Vitosha Nature Park’s present director Toma Belev, which was announced today, is the latest present the government has made to private companies and is another step towards the builing-up of the - in fact protected- area, allowing the development of a new, three times larger skiing area between Simeonovo, Dragalevtsi, Aleko and Cherni Vrah[1]. This is what the coalition of non-governmental organisations and civil groups “For the nature”warns about.]]> http://en.forthenature.org/news/2304 http://en.forthenature.org/news/2304 Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:27:34 +0200 News SOFIA — Alpine Skiing World Cup events in Bulgaria's southern resort of Bansko use illegal ski runs and break international regulations, a coalition of nature groups said Friday.

"With close to 40 percent of the ski runs in Bansko being illegally built and operated, many fear this event has cast a shadow over the reputation of the FIS (International Ski Federation)," the For The Nature group said in a statement.]]> http://en.forthenature.org/media/1535 http://en.forthenature.org/media/1535 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:40:54 +0200 Media A group representing more than 30, mostly environmental organisations, including the WWF, has issued a statement questioning the FIS decision to stage the second Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Bansko, Bulgaria this weekend when, “…citizen groups and NGOs are concerned that the operator of Bansko Ski Zone has persistently violated Bulgarian and international environmental legislation and FIS regulations. With close to 40% of the ski runs in Bansko being illegally built and operated, many fear this event has cast a shadow over FIS reputation.”]]> http://en.forthenature.org/media/1534 http://en.forthenature.org/media/1534 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:39:49 +0200 Media Sofia, Bulgaria – On the eve of the second Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup start of the season in Bansko, Bulgaria this weekend citizen groups and NGOs are concerned that the operator of Bansko Ski Zone has persistently violated Bulgarian and international environmental legislation and FIS regulations. With close to 40% of the ski runs in Bansko being illegally built and operated, many fear this event has cast a shadow over FIS reputation. In 2011, Bulgaria’s Minister of Environment and Water Nona Karadzhova admitted that the operator of Bansko Ski Zone Yulen JSC was using a territory larger – by about 65 ha - than the one designated by the concession of Bansko Ski Zone.]]> http://en.forthenature.org/news/2303 http://en.forthenature.org/news/2303 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:35:59 +0200 News The first ever tourist guidebook for the Eastern Rhodopes will be presented on 16 February, the opening day of the 29th international tourist fair HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO in Sofia.]]> http://en.forthenature.org/news/2294 http://en.forthenature.org/news/2294 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:30:54 +0200 News In January 2012 the Bulgarian-Dutch project New Thracian Gold initiates a next step in the process of rewilding the Eastern Rhodopes nature. After the Tarpan (September 2011) the Red Deer is the second large herbivore to be reintroduced. ]]> http://en.forthenature.org/news/2264 http://en.forthenature.org/news/2264 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:51:36 +0200 News