Radio Mundo Real

Thousands of people are demonstrating in Sofia, Bulgaria and at least 30 other cities, to reject the government´s decision to allow the building of a ski resort and commercial logging in Pirin National Park, deemed illegal by the demonstrators.

The peak of demonstrations took place in January, after the government´s resolution in December.

According to Friends of the Earth Europe, “the unique ecosystems of Pirin, recognised by UNESCO and protected under EU law, are home to brown bears, wolves, rare species of owls and woodpeckers, as well as more than 70 endemic plants including Bulgaria’s 1,300-year oldest tree”.

The demonstrators, with the support of a coalition of Bulgarian NGOs, “For the Nature”, are demanding the permit to authorize commercial logging and the building of the ski resort in Pirin to be overturned. They are also demanding the resignation of the Minister of Environment and Water, Neno Dimov.

To know more about this issue, Real World Radio interviewed Za Zemiata / Friends of the Earth Bulgaria´s coordinator, Danita Zarichinova.