Legislative Changes for Ski Lifts and Technical Snow Crucial, Says Samokov Mayor

Tatiana Marinova

Samokov Mayor Angel Dzhorgov addresses the BG Tourism – Winter 2025/2026 forum, Pamporovo, December 6, 2025 (BTA Photo/Boyan Botev)

Pamporovo, Southern Bulgaria,

06.12.2025 13:34

(BTA)

It is important that legislative changes related to the construction of ski lifts and technical snow facilities, which have already been initiated, take place, said Samokov Mayor Angel Dzhorgov during the BG Tourism – Winter 2025/2026 forum held in Pamporovo on Saturday.

The forum is organized by BTA in partnership with the Municipality of Chepelare, the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA), and the resort of Pamporovo. The event is part of BTA's initiative to host forums twice a year – at the beginning of the summer and winter tourist seasons – to discuss the messages for the presentation of tourism in Bulgaria during the upcoming season with representatives of state and municipal institutions, the tourism business, non-governmental organizations, scientists, and experts.

The Mayor said that the state could assist municipalities with infrastructure. Borovets, near the town of Samokov, is a national resort, and the last major repair of the Sofia–Samokov road took place 25–26 years ago, he stressed.

Dzhorgov emphasized that the goal is to keep cars and jeeps out of the mountains, making the area accessible for young children and the elderly. According to him, to keep cars out of the mountains, it is necessary to build lifts, and he sees no reason why this would harm nature.

“Unfortunately, in recent years, due to climate change, the so-called technical snow has become increasingly necessary,” the Mayor noted. He thanked Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh for the Ministry’s openness to municipalities where tourism is the main source of income.

Last year, the Municipality of Samokov reported a 6% increase in tourists compared to the previous season, with its resorts offering over 15,000 beds. “We are hoping for snow, we are ready for the winter season, and we expect it to be good again this year,” Dzhorgov said.

In 2026, Borovets, Bulgaria’s oldest ski resort, will celebrate its 130th anniversary, the Mayor added.

Among those invited to participate in the forum are parliamentary Tourism Committee Chairman Desislav Taskov (BSP – United Left), Minister of Youth and Sports Ivan Peshev, Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh, and deputy ministers. The forum will also include representatives of local authorities, heads of organizations in the tourism business and resort complexes, and educational institutions in the field of tourism. Dr. Simona Veleva, Chair of the Council for Electronic Media, and leaders of media outlets that are members of the Union of Bulgarian National Electronic Media, of which BTA is also a member, have also been invited: Milen Mitev, Director General of Bulgarian National Radio and Chairman of the Union of Bulgarian National Electronic Media, Anton Andonov, Member of the Management Board of Bulgarian National Television, Gospodin Yovchev, Chief Operating Officer of bTV Media Group, Marta Evtimova, Chief Producer of News and Current Affairs at Nova Broadcasting Group, as well as other national and regional media outlets.

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