Former Environment and Water Minister Borislav Sandov has repealed all the existing environmental impact assessment procedures (EIA), which may prevent the completion of Struma Highway in the Kresna Gorge.
Sandov did this on August the 1st, only a day before coming into power of the official minister Rositsa Karafilifova-Blagova. She has the right to cancel this act.The alternative option is the act to enter the court, but this will slow down the process - it will go for years, and this EIA will expire until it has loured him several times.The purpose of Sandov's action in 12 "Without 5" is to send itself to the court, which means to put an end to the project.
If there is no EIA assessment, it means that actually there is no such project.The procedure for building the Struma-Kresna returns where it was 15 years ago.The whole procedure will have to start all over again - to make all possible proposals, go through the entire public discussion procedure, in assessing all possible alternatives, etc.
This is the main purpose of so-called "green". Throughout all these years, they have been making everything possible to stop this project. With these actions either on purpose ornot they support those who want to build a tunnel.
From an ecological point of view, the construction of a tunnel is the most disadvantaged environment. Not only because of its subsequent exploitation, but also for construction.There are many scientific evidences, including from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and other independent experts, that this project, which is currently available for funding is the most environmentally friendly.
From the point of view of funding, the most expensive project has a tunnel - over 2 billion, while the other option is about 700-800 million, ie. the difference is almost double.The tunnel is a very expensive facility and it is not certain that it can be paid.
The MoEW is no longer a ministry for environmental protection, and one of the strongest economic ministries. It has the same or even greater burden on energy and economic ministries. If the project does not start, Bulgaria is also threatened to lose hundreds of millions of European funding.
Struma-Kresna area has dozens of victims and thousands of injured. It has been waiting for the solurion for years. Its construction is carefully monitored by the EC and the Berne Convention (to protect the wild European flora and fauna and natural habitats) as it falls into two Natura 2000 areas. One of the requirements of these institutions is to develop specific objectives to ensure the protection of nature during construction activities and then in the operation of the highway. With the support, including financial, the European Union's special needs are developed, which are presented and approved by the MoEW.
It does not publish these public access objectives as if they do not exist. Former Minister Sandov claims that specific objectives for the protected area are missing. This drfinitely is not true. This is not about protecting the nature, but for pure lobbying interests.
