Kresna Gorge

There is a chance that the construction of the "Hemus" highway will continue this fall and that another 80 km will be ready by 2025.

This was said on Monday morning on Nova TV by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Andrey Tsekov.

Bulgaria withdraws the application for the construction of Struma Motorway section via Kresna Gorge, but does not abandon the project, Bulgaria's Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) said on January 15, BNT reported.

Environmentalists are celebrating after winning a court case over plans to expand a ski resort in one of Bulgaria's national parks.

The scheme, approved by Bulgaria's government late last year, was ruled illegal by the country's special administrative court on Monday.

Two national parks in Bulgaria are threatened by construction plans according to a letter sent last week to the European Commission by representatives of all major political groups in the European Parliament.

Priority will be given for new roads in Northern Bulgaria in the coming years. This was said by Nova TV Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Nikolay Nankov.

The regional minister admitted that the construction of roads in the north of the country is lagging behind and that is why they will be a priority.

Public discussion of the Struma highway route will take place in Simitli and Kresna. Local residents will say their opinion on the 5th proposed option - how to cross the highway in the section from Krupnik to Kresna, informs BNT.

Tomorrow a public procurement will be announced for the construction of the tunnel "Zheleznitsa" of Struma Motorway. The procurement will be divided into three lots - one for the construction of road facilities, asphalt works for 2 km before the tunnel and the underground facility itself, announced the Minister of Regional Development Nikolay Nankov.

Firefighters continue to battle the fire which broke out on 24th of August in the area of Kresna Gorge. Over the past few days, the fire engulfed and destroyed 16,000 decares of 50-60 year old forest.

For sixth consecutive night, hundreds of firefighters continue to battle the blaze.  600 policemen, military and volunteers are trying to extinguish the fire.

The evacuation of the Vlahi village threatened by the wildfires near the Kresna gorge begun. Authorities have ordered people to leave their homes as fire enters the village, reported bTV. 

In an article published in The Guardian on Wednesday, Arthur Neslen, focuses on the construction of the Struma motorway in southwestern Bulgaria which is potentially threatening the wildlife in the Kresna gorge.