A doubled number of ski routes threatens Vitosha

A new ski zone could be constructed on Vitosha Mountain, home to a nature park on the outskirts of Sofia, the coalition of non-governmental organisations To Sustain the Nature in Bulgaria (SNB) wrote in a media statement on August 26. On August 27, the Vitosha nature park office confirmed that in July, it had received an investment proposal for the new winter resort. The investment proposal contradicted the 10-year management plan for Vitosha nature park that was approved by the Cabinet in April 2004, the nature park’s spokesperson told The Sofia Echo. The as-of-yet-unnamed investor plans an expansion of the already existing ski zone on Vitosha Mountain by felling 20 ha of woods and urbanising more than 30 ha of high mountainous pastures. But according to the current management plan for Vitosha, any construction of new ski sites was banned, SNB said. A map that the coalition received in a plain envelope without a sender’s address showed that on a territory of four sq m were planned 29 ski routes, 17 lifts and a drag lift, which was an exceptionally high number, SNB said. Currently, Vitosha Mountain has 12km of ski pistes – but following construction, this number would be more than doubled, as the map showed an additional 13km. Eight km of the old ski slopes would be renovated, SNB said. The design of the new ski zone was done by the architectural firm Ivis Project and Design OOD, which also designed the Bansko ski zone in Pirin national park and the illegal ski zone Panichishte-Ezerata-Kaboul, planned for construction in Rila Mountain and Rila national park. Approached for comment by The Sofia Echo, Ivis OOD's spokesperson confirmed that the company had prepared the plan, but would not reveal who commissioned it. According to the company, it was not about a new ski zone, but only about expanding the existing winter sport facilities. “Simply developing a concept for ski zone is not a cheap pursuit,” SNB said. According to the coalition, it was disturbing that somebody was planning a ski zone in Vitosha nature park, where this action could be carried out only following legal procedures and only with serious political backing, and in violation with Bulgarian and the European environmental legislations, SNB said. by Elitsa Grancharova,