site.btaTourism Minister: Construction of Lift in Apriltsi Important for National Strategic Policy

The lift construction project in Apriltsi is important not only for the region, but also for the national strategic policy, Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh said during a visit to the mountain resort.

"My visit today aimed to see on site all the specifics and difficulties facing the project and to emphasize the support of the Tourism Ministry for the mayor's work and what the industry is striving for," he told journalists.

The minister indicated that he met with people from the tourism industry to create a comprehensive picture of what is happening in the project and what support it gets. He also held a meeting with owners of hotels and guest houses in the municipality on issues of tourism development. The emphasis of the meeting was on the development of the resort year-round and to have accessibility to it during all four seasons. "At this stage, in different periods of time, especially in the ski season, both the local government and the industry expect greater occupancy of the accommodation base," Borshosh noted.

He emphasized that the capacity of the local accommodation base is impressive for a municipality the size of Apriltsi. "We have all the data for Apriltsi to become a four-season, fully occupied tourist destination," he stressed, adding that in modern tourism, when there are good conditions for investments, money is found more easily. "Both investors and the local government need the development of ski tourism, so funds are not a problem. Of course, they are a major part and the way in which such a facility is financed and managed, but let's talk about what we need to do before that," Borshosh said.

"The municipality has done a lot so far, now the Tourism Ministry and the parliament are needed to make the necessary changes to the legislation so that the lift can happen, and from there we can talk about who, how and what funds will be invested here," he pointed out, adding that a working group, with the participation of all competent institutions and chaired by the Tourism Minister, has collected all kinds of proposals for changes to the law in order to unblock the mountain to be accessible for those who want to take their children, ride their bikes and practice ski tourism.

Apriltsi Mayor Tihomir Kukenski told BTA that the idea of building the lift is not new, but actually dates back to the 1970s, when Swiss companies showed interest in the area. Now, the Municipality plans to purchase a second-hand lift from Austria, with the estimated cost being around BGN 6.5 million. The starting point of the lift will be in the Ostrets district, and the final point will be at the foot of Maragidik Peak. The upper station of the lift falls within an area of the Central Balkan National Park, designated for recreation and tourism, Kukenski pointed out, which is why a technical project, which is yet to be prepared, will be coordinated with the Environment and Water Ministry.

Kukenski emphasized that the construction and operation of the facility is expected to directly help create about 100 new jobs in the small mountain municipality with a population of about 2,550 people. The municipal leadership expects assistance from the state to finance the project. The construction of such lifts is hindered by several laws in Bulgaria, Kukenski stated, expressing hope that with the joint efforts and goodwill of the Tourism Ministry, the Environment and Water Ministry and the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, the cases that hinder investments will be resolved without destroying the natural wealth of Bulgaria.