Bulgarias Authorities Fail To Stop Overdevelopment Of The Black Sea Coast

The massive overdevelopment of Bulgaria's Black Sea coast continues. The new law, which came into force at the beginning of the year to regulate construction in the area, seems to do nothing much to limit the worrying trend.

Local media in Burgas alarmed that the building of a five-story hotel began on the beach near the ancient town of Sozopol, north of the resort Tsarevo on February 21. They argue that the construction site is illegal as it falls in a zone protected under the EU's Natura 2000 network.

Ecologists scored some points with the recent structural plan for the Tsarevo municipality, located on Bulgaria's southernmost coast near the border with Turkey, which will prohibit construction in the area of the Veleka River's mouth, the Silistar zone and the forests over one of the beaches near the village of Sinemorets.

But it seems such successes still remain as the exception, rather than a norm when it comes to Bulgaria's Black Sea coast development.

The new law which regulates it was approved by Parliament in June of last year after a long delay and was defined as controversial by some and shameful by others. It gave the coastal municipalities two years time to draft and put into force new structural plans for their operation. As these plans also determine the purpose of the lands administered by the municipalities, critics say that, in effect, this means they could decide to allow construction anywhere on their territory.

The new law which regulates it was approved by Parliament in June of last year after a long delay and was defined as controversial by some and shameful by others. It gave the coastal municipalities two years time to draft and put into force new structural plans for their operation. As these plans also determine the purpose of the lands administered by the municipalities, critics say that, in effect, this means they could decide to allow construction anywhere on their territory.