News

 Educational three-day online event “Benefits from monitoring and conservation of biodiversity”
Dear all, we would like to invite you to an international three-day educational online event, with topic “Benefits from monitoring and conservation of biodiversity”. Topics related with monitoring and conservation of flora and fauna species as well as habitat types will be presented. At the end of the presentation of each topic, a discussion will be conducted.

The schedule of the event is presented below:
Bulgarian court suspended the new plan of Pirin National Park, which allowed construction in 66% of its territory
Apr. 29, 2020
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On April 29, 2020, the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria ruled in the case of lack of environmental assessment of the new management plan of Pirin. The court saga, which has been running for three years, showed the complete illegality of the decision signed by the Minister of Environment and Waters (MoEW) in 2017. Thus, the plan, which allowed construction in 66% and logging in 48% of the park, will not come into force.
Celebration of the Green Belt Days in Belasitsa
Celebrating successful cooperation for nature and people in Belasitsa/ Belles

More than 200 people in total participated in the Celebration of the Green Belt Days in Belasitsa. The event took place at three different locations, two of them in Bulgaria and one – in Greece, lasted two days involving six partners from three countries. A journalist and a photographer from Agence France-Presse attended the whole two days in order to prepare a text in French and English with images.
Celebration of the Green Belt Days in Belasitsa - 24-25 September 2019
Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation, Belasitsa Nature Park Directorate, Lake Kerkini National Park Management Authority (Greece), Planetum Association (North Macedonia), Town Hall and Community Center of Gabrene village are the organizers of the Green Belt Days celebration 24-25 September in Belasitsa - a region that unites three countries with unique nature and biodiversity, rich history, preserved traditions and culture.
Webinar: Systematic Conservation Planning from Future Environmentalists Program
New educational year of Future Environmentalists Program begins with a webinar, titled "Systematic Conservation Planning from Future Environmentalists Program". It will take place on 18th of September at 17:00 EEST (16:00 CET) with a lecturer Ioannis Tsiripidis, Associate Professor of Phytosociology in the School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). The webinar will be held in English in zoom platform and is free of charge. Follow the link to join: https://zoom.us/j/842213688
The push to construct in Pirin may continue in the future
Jan. 17, 2019
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WWF and other NGOs in the For the Nature coalition have won the final court case against the government of Bulgaria’s plans to open Pirin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Bulgaria’s premier protected area, up to construction.
Protected areas in Romania without custodians and protection?
Bucharest - In late July, the Romanian government issued an emergency ordinance to modify the legal framework of protected areas, removing rangers, biologists, ecologists and foresters from the management of protected areas. Non-Governmental organizations, which currently serve as stewards for many of the country’s protected areas, were also removed from the list. In taking the decision, the Romanian government did not consult experts or current custodians of protected areas, gave no explanation of an alternative arrangement, nor justify the nature of the emergency. WWF warns this decision will weaken conservation efforts and protection for many of Europe’s most outstanding natural values.
The Bulgarian National Assembly voted to be increased the court fees up to 900 times for NGOs and citizens to limit our access to justice!
The Bulgarian National Assembly voted to be increased the court fees up to 900 times for NGOs and citizens to limit our access to justice!
Jul 12, 2018
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The Bulgarian National Assembly voted to be increased the court fees for non-governmental organizations between 74 and 900 times and for citizens between 14 and 900 times to limit their access to justice! Please share and help the civil society in Bulgaria!
Demonstration To Save Our Seas And Deliver Petition To International Meeting Of Environment Ministers
Local NGO Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation and supporters will join with international campaigning organisations Seas At Risk, WeMove.EU and Our Fish, to deliver a petition to the Minister of Environment of Sweden, Per Ängquist, on behalf of the EU Council of Environment Ministers. The demonstration will include animal mascots and a huge banner calling for action to protect our seas and end overfishing.
Protests in Bulgaria for protection of NP Pirin
Jan. 21, 2018
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On the 28.12.2017 the Government of Bulgaria opened for construction 48% of Pirin National Park, the only mountain in Bulgaria that is a UNESCO heritage site. The amendments to the management plan permit construction in 3 out of 6 zones of the park. No public consultation was made. This is an infringement of Protected Areas Act, Environmental Protection Act, Biodiversity Act, Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) and Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (2001/42/EC).
Environmental Minister Neno Dimov leaves the future of Pirin in the hands of the concessionaire of Bansko Ski Zone, hiding behind the Court
Oct. 04, 2017
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Sofia, October 4th, 2017 – The Bulgarian Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Groups “For the Nature” warns that the Ministry of the Environment and Water has in practice left the future of Pirin National Park in the hands of the Yulen concessionaire of Bansko Ski Area, because it has failed to appeal to a higher instance court against the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court from the month of August.
A BSPB project was nominated as the best one for the last 25 years
A new serious recognition for the project “Protection of the Imperial Eagle and the Saker Falkon” came by the European Commission. The BSPB project is among the nominated ones for the best project under LIFE programme since 1992 until now and it has been chosen by a special jury. Only 15 projects implemented during the last 25 years have been nominated in three categories – Nature, Environment and Climate. In each category two projects will be awarded, selected by the public by voting in Facebook.