The European Greens co-president Ska Keller tells BIRN of her grave concerns for the future of the UNESCO-protected Pirin National Park, after Bulgaria’s government approved plans to expand the ski resort there.
The Green/EFA party, the fourth largest group in the European Parliament, has said it will alert the European Commission about new development plans in the Bulgarian Pirin mountain, its co-president, Ska Keller, told BIRN in an interview.
Keller expressed concern about whether the potential expansion of the skiing zone at Bansko, Bulgaria’s largest skiing resort, which the cabinet approved on December 28, is in line with European law on natural protection.
“The European Commission has to make sure that the Bulgarian government does not violate European standards for wildlife and nature protection,” the MEP said.
She added that Europe’s Greens stand “side by side” with the thousands of Bulgarian citizens who have been protesting against threats to the Pirin area since early January.
