site.btaParliament Adopts Revisions to Law on Black Sea Coast Spatial Planning, Enhances Protection for Three Beaches for Environment-Friendly Tourism

A total of 157 votes in the 240-seat legislature Wednesday backed in principle amendments to the Spatial Development of the Black Sea Coast Act, aiming to strengthen the authentic outlook of the Black Sea coast. The revisions were proposed by the leaders of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria Kiril Petkov and Hristo Ivanov, of GERB Boyko Borisov and the floor leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Delyan Peevski.

The Socialist MPs abstained and Vazrazhdane voted against the revisions but the rest of the parties supported it. 

The revisions extend the so called Zone A of the Black Sea coast, which is closest to the sea and where most forms of interferences are prohibited. It will stretch for 500 m behind three beaches for environmentally friendly tourism: Karadere, Irakli and Koral. Construction of fences, buildings and other structures shall be prohibited there.  The use of self-propelled, tracked and earth-moving machines shall be prohibited, too.

The revisions also strengthen the protection of sand dunes and prohibit any damage or flattening out of mobile (white) dunes, stable (gray) dunes with grass vegetation and forested dunes falling within the boundaries of Zone A, Zone B or within the urbanized areas of settlements beyond the boundaries of Zone A, except in cases of permitted development.

The penalties for bringing to the beach mobile facilities or structures without proper authorization are increased.

The bill of amendments stops the implementation of approved and enacted general and spatial plans, whose implementation has been allowed in violation of this Act.