Environment Minister: The Karadere Project Will Not Be Approved

The hotel project in Karadere will not get environmental approval, as the area is in two Natura 2000 zones, said Bulgaria's Environment Minister Iskra Mihailova. 

“For us the Black Sea Eco Garden Resort project must start again from scratch,” Mihailova said in an interview for Bulgaria's TV7. She added that the investor must limit the project within the legal possibilities and only then the ministry would consider its application for environmental permit. 

“Without such evaluations, without an analysis of how the resort will affect the environment, this project doesn't exist for us,” she said. 

According to Mihailova, the memorandum for understanding between the Government and the investor Madara Europe, does not mean that the project received an environmental evaluation. 

“Furthermore, this project is not officially declared, the Environment and Waters Ministry doesn't know about it,” Mihailova said. 

She added that in her opinion the standard rule for each investor is to check if his project can be realized in Bulgaria within the legal framework, before applying for anything. 

Meanwhile, Scott Perkins, member of the board of directors of Madara Europe said in the morning talkshow of another TV channel, that he hoped the construction will start in September. He denied the reports that the company had “a friend in the government” and explained that his colleague was just making a joke.

Perkins explained that the company has amended the project in accordance with the Government requirements and gave some vague explanations who the owners of Madara Europe are. 
“We are positive that we're going to build in Karadere,” Perkins said. “We've been here for seven years. We...