Bearing 14484 signatures, on the issuing of building permits for constructions along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria that allegedly endanger protected areas  

The petitioner says that the issuing of building permits for a major entrepreneurial project in the costal line of the Black See (Irakli, St Konstantin and Elena, Gradina, Alepu, Arapia, Coral, Sinemorets, Silistar) are illegal in the current regulatory regime. In 2003, by order of the Ministry of Environment and Water, the designation of the Ministry of the Environment and Water of protected areas has been removed and this became one of the ways to facilitate the change of the status of the land and the subsequent speculative transactions on the territory of the Coast. Planned constructions fall into two protected areas, namely Natura 2000 and the “Ropotamo Complex”, that are a unique habitat for migratory birds and very rare plant species. In the petitioner’s opinion, these developments along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria are incompatible with the requirements of the European Union and in flagrant violation of the environmental directives (Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC); Birds Directive (2009/147/EC); Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (2011/92/EU); Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (2001/42/EC)).