Municipal councilors Tsvetelina Simeonova-Zarkin, Dimitar Petrov and Hristo Koparanov from the group “We continue the change – Democratic Bulgaria – Save Sofia” (PP-DB-SS) propose that the Sofia Municipality (SO) acquire the roads to Vitosha from the state, the press center of The Metropolitan Municipal Council (SOC).
The councilors insist that the Municipality take actions for free acquisition of state-owned properties, part of the road infrastructure to the main tourist centers in the “Vitosha” Nature Park – the area of Aleko and the area of Zlatni mostove.
This is the first of a series of reports, the purpose of which is to improve the citizens’ access to Vitosha, as well as to improve the overall attitude of the Metropolitan Municipality towards the nature park, it is clear from the announcement.
According to the importers, this should be part of a strategic management plan developed with the participation and support of all stakeholders. Undoubtedly, the busiest infrastructure in Vitosha Nature Park are the roads that lead to the Aleko area, the Arboretum area and the Golden Bridges area. The road connections to Aleko and the Golden Bridges are made up of properties, some of which are owned by the Municipality and others by the state, with ownership in some cases changing over extremely short distances (even in about 100 meters), which creates both practical and and formal difficulties in taking the necessary measures to ensure adequate care for them. In this regard, the councilors suggest that the mayor Vasil Terziev take action and ask the Council of Ministers to transfer the state properties, which are part of the road infrastructure to the main tourist centers in the park, into the ownership of the Municipality free of charge. The councilors believe that these actions will lead to greater legal certainty and stability of the actions of the CO and will give an opportunity to develop a detailed layout plan of this infrastructure, which would also allow easier maintenance and repair of these roads.
The councilors from PP-DB-SS also point out that this action aims to improve access to Vitosha, which is the oldest natural park in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula, part of the Natura 2000 network. The interest and the possibility of visiting is also strengthened by the close proximity of Vitosha to the capital. However, at the moment, the way in which the access of the citizens and guests of Sofia to and in the nature park is arranged continues to create inconvenience for the lovers of the mountain and at the same time endangers its natural resources, write the municipal councilors.
On February 12, during a meeting between Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev and President Rumen Radev, the head of state highlighted the need to find a clear solution for the development of Vitosha Nature Park and facilitating access to it for recreation and sports.
On February 21, the topic of the development and adoption of an updated Management Plan for the Natural Park was part of a discussion organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in which the ministers of the Denkov cabinet – of tourism – Zaritsa Dinkova, of the environment and water participated – Yulian Popov, for agriculture and food – Kiril Vatev, for regional development – Andrey Tsekov, for health care – Hristo Hinkov, for youth and sports – Dimitar Iliev, the mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality Vasil Terziev, as well as the regional governor Vyara Todeva.
