Summary
minutes from the discussion in the town of Kresna
The
highway construction projects through the Kresna gorge and the
town of Kresna, their impact on environment and the role of
public participation.
10
August 2000
Opening:
Georgi Ivanov (Mayor of Kresna). Introduction and introducing
guests and organisers of the meeting.
Dimitar Hristov (General Road Administration).
Introduction.
Chair: Petko Kovatchev (Centre for Environmental Information
and Education). Introducing the organisers of the meeting
and guests from other NGOs. Hands over to Dimitar Hristov.
Dimitar
Hristov (GRA).
“…for the moment the General Road Administration has only ideas
about the course of the future Struma highway…. Bulgaria ran
an international bid for study and design of the highway, which
was held last year and in February a contract was signed with
the consultancy company for study and design …., which has been
working hard 2 -3 months and is at the initial stage of studying
the course of the Struma highway, which means that at the moment
we do not have a completed study for the course of the Struma
highway. All possible options, directions and recomendations,
which our organisation has been making over the years are submitted
to the company, which consider them, summarize them and will
additionally design or additionally study new possible technical
solutions, which will be included in the final stage of their
work, which is expected to be ready in December 2000. …I am
expecting the debate with the environmental NGOs in Bulgaria
to continue, because 99 - 100 % of what we hear from them will
get into the guidance which we, as an organisation will recommend
and will oblige the consultant’s company to take into account.
Andrej Kovachev (BALKANI Wildlife Society)
Give
description of the existing project for building of a highway
and the activities of NGOs.
“ There was two variants
for the highway 3 years ago. Both variants go through the Kresna
gorge and Kresna town (point the variant developed by GRA).
We made a lot of different meeting, when our suggestion to be
find alternatives ware not considered, with Ministry of Environment,
with Phare representatives. In fact Ministry of Environment
supported our statement… we proposed three variants, which we
don’t if they will be taken into account or not. (presented
three alternatives proposed by MGOs)…not considering the letter
from Ministry of Environment in this years GRA made so called
Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) on these two project and
put it in the Ministry. The Ministry of Environment returned them
.
Give
a short description EIA procedure and ways for public participation.
“Kresna
is one of the most affected town through whole route of Struma motoway and
it is necessary the EIA to be discussed here in Kresna. To have
public discussion in Kresna.”
Petko Kovachev (CEIE) Point in the assessment of building of the
highway is necessary to be discussed social and economical development
of the region with its different alternatives and saving of
cultural heritage (antique memorial), which in future can be
developed as a place for tourism.
Give
a floor for free discussion, opinion and proposals.
Yordan Pavlov (citizen of Kresna town) “
..I am for nature too – it don’t have to be destroyed…I am sure
that GRA co-ordinate the route with people from ecology. There
is no free money to dig and to break. May be will replaced some
bird’s nests, some snakes and lizards. So let the highway be
there where have to be. If there are some additional money and
funds to be given here for agitation to be made some other deviation
from the highway, this is the different question”
Dimitur Vasilev (ECO-CLUB 2000) “…Take it
into account that birds, grass and nests that will be replaced
will be houses from Kresna, because on the place of bus station
for Gorna Breznica will be cover by bridge in one of variants,…
in this case there over 30 houses and a tailor’s manufacture
will be destroyed, as I was informed from local people. Beside
this in the other case – on the other side (along Ushite) on
the left shore, will be destroyed houses too and agricultural
lands. We are here, because we suppose, that besides us which
are dealing with birds, grass and nests, may be among you there
are a people, who as us are not satisfied .. and simple, clear
and strongly in this moment when still is not too late – you
have to know that – in this moment is not still late! – when
the work is set up to included development of alternatives as
an obligation. An obligation. What is the main problem that
we have seen during this years, …nobody were presented alternatives..
when I go to them, this projecting organization from Veliko
Tarnovo which made the things for Kresna they didn’t even know
that there is Protected area. They ware not given a task to
develop route without the gorge and town. They were given a
task to project the route in gorge and made 2 or 3 variants
– all of them passing the gorge and Kresna…. we have an unique
chance in this moment, …in which the task is set up to be used
the opinion of people from Kresna. If you miss this moment,
will come the EIA procedure , which give you right for public
participation and we manage to make them to do public discussion
here in Kresna – you ca say again your opinion. But you have
to take it into account – it will too late. Then will can see
only “yes” or “no”. It ware not said to us till now what is
doing this new firm Spea which won a concurs. It ware not said
where and what is developing now.
Kiril Lazarov (citizen of Kresna town) “I
am a citizen and, put attention, a parent … You have to think
for our kids, for the future generation. Think how much the
air is poisoned now. Think how much the air will be poisoned
after the highway will be build through Kresna town as some
of our fellow-citizents want. Second I support fully the second variant for Otava and Vlachi. The third variant – yes, I support it fully –
it is obligatory the highway not to go through Kresna town.
If is possible to be protected the landmarks of Kresna gorge.”
Boris
Arnaudov (citizen of Kresna town) “ If you, misters, have a wish to build a highway and have
money, build it like in La Manshe – England and France agreed
and builded it underground and didn’t destroy the environment.
If you don’t have this money and want to destroy the environment,
I am sorry mrs and mister, for me it is a full idiocy…”
Boris
Sandanski (citizen
of Kresna town) “…Whether we will be heart what we say is different questio…
I will point only this: Kresna manucipality is the richest,
concerning nature, may be in whole Bulgaria.. in this region
are the Protected area “Tisata’’ and Nature landmark ”Moravska”. The
whole Struma is full with oriental planes, the most beautiful,
the most solid oriental planes in whole Bulgaria are here in
the region of village Gorna Breznica – this will be destroyed.
…..if the highway go through the Kresna gorge, except damages upon species, environment and other things
it will straight to section Moravska. All the section Moravska
is one antique town…. part of it is approve for protected area.
Why we don’t use it to attract tourist… I believe that the highway
can’t go through
the antique town …If the highway go
upon lower Ushi and near Moravska the place Paklen -
there is antique place too. If it go trough the town what will
going on with a veiv to “Melo” . To take the third variant –
into Struma valley on bridges. What will be done with this bridges
– how we construct Struma here – from its old meanders , with
which it flow down, from the elbows we made a new route and
this route is the most ugly thing in Kresna. Will we do more
ugly things…Struma to be cover with bridges and all the smoke
from all cars to be in the town. This is not a variant. The
tunnel or through Stara Kresna – Ostava – Vlachi. I propose
this variant.
Boris
Ivanov (biologist,
citizen of Kresna town) “I have one question to Mr.Hristov…Is there a possibility
the highway to double the existing route? If there is a variant
a lot of questions will fail…
Stoyan
Beshkov (Bulgarian Lepidopteriological Society)
“My question in some way double the question of previous speaker.
If the highway go through the gorge, can it go out of Kresna
town, or the two things are connected each other?”
Georgi
Vangelov (citizen
of Kresna town) “..I was prepared for …discussion, in which we will receive
some information for the variants, where will pass the highway.
We didn’t receive this kind of information. We found that some
italian firm develop a project, but we didn’t find at what stage
are they now…How we can say our opinion, concerning the highway,
if we don’t have elementary idea where it will pass?
I appeal to mister here from General Road Administration -
please give us information…”
Dimitur Stoyanov (citizen of Kresna town)
“…I think, there have to be at least some idea for your decision
..if from the entrance of Kresna the highway will be a little
bit wilder and will be set up limit to the speed for example
– what will going on; is this stop something. For example the
existing route with a little widening with a little amount of
money can be the highway. here in Kresna to be made places for
the stop and so on. To be to route downwards. (the loud noise
in the hall). This is my opinion, the variant, which is made
to one stage, is this through Ostava, Vlachi - the substitute
route for the highway.
Dimitur Hristov (GRA) “…Is there a variant
for doubling route of the existing road for passing through
Kresna george – yes there is a technical possibility. It can
pass to one level, to be made on second level upon existing
road on construction, it can be with widening from two bands
on the construction lengtwisely from Struma as variant… In the
destination of Kresna gorge it can pass, if you want 35m in
length, but our vision is, if it go by zero variant – exp. to
be doubled the existing road it have to be as narrow as possible
– so we isolate the region of Kresna gorge (if we take this
decision actually) for one homogeneous section from
20 km, which will be with restrictive regime of traffic, with
special conditions and with not very big speeds… We have a lot
of ideas and one of them is widening of the existing road. I
want to answer too that passing through Kresna is impossible.
We ware working with preliminary investigation, made before
than 20 years… and technically we can’t find decision closer
than half a kilometer east or west from Kresna… And because
I take a floor I want to put attention to some other things…”
– explain procedure concerning feasibility study, design, alienation
of lands and property, building of the highways. He indicate
that now they are in the beginning – feasibility study.
Petko
Kovachev (CEIE): “…I
would like to ask Mr. Hristov but yet to answer the simple question,
which was asked: is there an option for the highway’s exit of
the gorge not to affect parts of the town of Kresna.
…he said something which I would take the liberty to
interpret and I ask him to confirm or deny this interpretation.
The first thing is that the Italian company, which won the bid
is working on its own views at the moment, without a clear Terms
of Reference, because it was said that tomorrow, in a future
tense, they will receive these recommendations. Does this mean
that … the General Road Administration has not specifically
asked them to assess options apart from these designed by Veliko
Turnovo and Varna.
The second question: should we think that all those reports,
which the General Road Administration paid for EIA, are not
valid anymore, because they do not consider an up-to date project
or feasibility studies. And my third question: mostly Greece
has interest in the construction of the Struma highway, so that
until the year 2004 on this highway the Greeks would meet tourists
for the Olympics in Athens. That means that 2004 was the deadline
and we were clearly told that if questions are raised for the
alternatives, they will hinder the Greek interest, Greece respectively
would hinder project financing for Bulgaria. Is this condition
dropped yet…..
Dimitar
Hristov (GRA): “…
the course of the Struma highway is included within the Cross
Boundary Co-operation programme between Greece and Bulgaria
… The Struma highway plus the Lyulin highway will be financed
under common conditions by the European Community…The Olympic
games do not bind us, the Bulgaria side, in any way… I have
the feeling that at the moment you want to discuss many of the
things that are publicized by the press.
Vladimir
Andreev (resident of the town of Kresna): “… I can also say the we too have a direct interest to
construct the highway as quickly as possible. …As far as I’m
informed there is another option for the highway passage through
the villages Mechkup, Senokos and then go down to Vallov Breg,
Melo, between Kresna and Graddeshnica in the middle where the
railway passes over the road - somewhere there by the help of
bridges, overpasses to go to the villages Kamenitza and Krushitza
and then continue down, along the Struma river. Is there anything
like this or not? …”
Radi
Radev (Ecoforum): “ …I believe in our government administration and the General Road Administration…
now they have the opportunity to keep in contact and synchronize
their requirements with those of the European Union. I am not
familiar with the bidding documents, but probably there is a
requirement to compare all possible options. I will be very
disappointed if after some time …I see that this company or
those who are doing the EIA say: I assess what is included in
the feasibility studies. …Therefore, the first thing which we
have to be convinced is that the Italian ocmpany will be free
in their studies and I will not repeat only projects of some
Bulgarian organisations, already paid for, … that is why I take
the liberty to say one more thing: highways are exceptionally
long-term projects, so the short-term as well as the long-term
interests have to be taken into account. Sustainable development,
for which we are trying to lecture about since 1992 if we go
back to Rio, if we go back even further, teaches us to combine
the three components - the environment with the social and economic
component and to suppress the activity of the rude market mechanisms
in the short run.
Valentin
Bogoev (Municipal Counselor, Kresna): “First I would
like to address the ladies and gentlemen environmentalists …If
you care, to use a slang, about the birds and twigs, here we
care about the living conditions of people …first of all, it
is clear that a highway cannot pass through the territory of
the town. This is really a blasphemy. I live in this town and
apart from everything I am a parent. My child is exposed to
all the risk that other children are exposed to.
But I have a question to Mr. Hristov: You are professionally
involved with roads and I will ask you if environmentalists
in this first, initial stage create conditions which could hinder
the design of the highway …That is why I address you, the gentlemen
environmentalists, because I have the feeling that at the moment
you are aiming at exactly this - to divert the highway construction
of Bulgaria and the municipality of Kresna. You have to keep
in mind that Bulgaria and the Kresna municipality without this
highway will turn into …something more than the backyard of
Europe. …I say that again, there must be a highway through Bulgaria
and the municipality of Kresna. Second, the highway must not
pass through the territory of the town, but through a by-pass,
which will not be specified by me, neither by any of the majority
of us here, but will be specified by specialists, allowing minimal
damages to the environment. …”
Roumen
Manolov (resident of Kresna): “I support that there has to be a highway, but the flora and fauna of
the municipality and most importantly the population of the
town have to be preserved. There has to be a highway, because
we, in this municipality, are economically dependent, but to
sleep at night and to have big trucks and trains passing over
your head is cruel. That is why I’m saying - it will be a crime
to build a highway through the town and through the gorge. …
I support the project through Vlahi - Oshtava - Brezhani and
Melo. I will tell you something else: many highways in Europe,
from Genoa to Barcelona, highways on the whole Spanish, French
and Italian coastline do not enter into settlements. …So, raise
the highway high will not be that cruel to the population of
Kresna …”
Dimitar
Vassilev (ECO-CLUB 2000): “ I want to say a few words. …In respect of the environmental problems of
the municipality, as well as the whole region - they are gigantic.
…that despite of everything here in Kresna - of course, they
affect you, since you live here - things are much softer than
they are up there in Senokos, but not exactly at the village
of Senokos, because it is above the uranium mine, but all the
villages below. Because of the water at the moment, despite
of all the anti radiation plantations, everything gets shoved
down and then gets into the Struma river. So, the radiation,
coming down with Struma from Senokos is very high. I’m telling
you this because we measured it. …”
Irina
Kostadinova (Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds): “…What I want to emphasize is that the European
Union has an investment policy in the countries candidates for
EU membership. It also has strict legislation, stricter than
the international agreements, called conventions. This is the
so called European legislation, which we are obliged to implement
in our own legislation and to comply with and to have implemented
it at the moment of accession to the EU.” - describes the two
directives: Directive on the conservation of wild bird s79/409
and the Directive on conservation of habitats, the Bern Convention
and the CORINE programme.
“People have to say what they think, that’s why say it
now, because during the public hearing when the course of the
highway will be designed already, cosmetic corrections are possible,
yes - within 1 or 2 meter, not more. …This is the right time,
the right time is this moment, …”
Angel
Dimitrov (Kresna resident): “My question to Mr. Hristov…can you guarantee that… when they decide that it
will pass through there, they are going to come and talk to
us, ask us do we agree or what…Another question: what are the
criteria for choosing the course if the highway… for example
to what extent the flora and fauna in the gorge will be destroyed,
the unique flora and fauna in our gorge; or only the money -
if you are looking for the cheapest option, it is better to
say this right now and for example these people to lie down
in front of the machines; and we should know this. If the questions
is to look for the cheapest option, it is clear that it will
be the people, the community, who will lose the most …”
Milko
Kradzhov (resident of Kresna): “As far as I know there is a map, which shows three options - orange,
blue and red. These three options, after the option through
Kresna is dropped, the other option is East or West. Simply
the aim in our municipality is to know where the highway will
be more useful - to the East or the West. …”
Dimitar
Hristov (GRA): Describes
the procedures for approving options for highways in GRA and
procedures for expropriation of agricultural land. “Now, is
it possible if environmental NGOs in Bulgaria are against the
Struma projects …I cannot see any contradiction between the
General Road Administration …and the environmental NGOs in Bulgaria
…”
Georgi
Ivanov (Mayor of Kresna): Appeals for the meeting not to become boring and if necessary to start looking
at ending the meeting if there are no people who want to say
something.
Petar
Kovachev (Dentist from Kresna): “ …according to the statistics we have many cases of lung cancer…That
is why my appeal is drop all thoughts of a highway passing through
and near by Kresna. …My request is to get in touch with the
Italian company. It smells like the saying “hood after rain”.Well,
how did they win the bid, since they do not know our opinion,
since no one knows where it will go through.”
Stoyan
Beshkov (BLS):
“I think that everyone present here is clear about the situation
with the dubbing road - what it means. And weather in the case
of the highway pasing as a dubbing road down there, on the old
road in the gorge, there will be another road or simply everyone
who wants to go from Kresna to Simitli willy - nilly will go
on the highway and pay toll…”
Dimitar
Hristov (GRA): “the
question about paying toll for the highway, even in the far
future, …if someone thinks about paying - this section through
the Kresna gorge, if it goes through the existing road, it will
never be possible to ask for paying toll. …Really, the world
practice for construction of paid linear facilities require
always to have a dubbing road, one category lower ideally for
transferring traffic. …What I mean is that this homogenous section
will never be considered a paid section, since we cannot provide
a dubbing road, one category lower …. Parallel to this road,
1 km. at the most to the left or right - east or west of the
course…”
Andrey
Kovachev (BALKANI Wildlife Society): “ … In a letter to our Society, you, on behalf of the
GRA, write that the company SPEA has already drafted a preliminary
report for some preliminary studies. …this report … will it
become public? …The second question: in this report what does
SPEA assess - what, specific projects or something else? …”
Dimitar
Hristov (GRA): (The
first part of the answer is missing, because of changing tape)
…this Inception Report is a programme of intentions - that is:
how they see the study should continue till the end of the year…
for the whole course of the Struma highway, for 168 km. they
have made a report for the programme of intentions - how they
see the finalisation of their study by the end of the year.
We have also given the respective recommendations, where your
recommendations for other options are also included, alternative
solutions through the Kresna gorge and many other things. …this
a document, which is not confidential, it is an interim report;
and if you wish we can provide you with a copy.
Aneliya
Stefanova (For the Earth): “I want to ask Mr. Hristov, at the so proposed widening of the road how are
you going to provide safety of the passing low speed vehicles
like carts, and other vehicles like these, passing between Simitly
and Kresna. Since there is no a dubbing road, a local one.
Dimitar
Hristov (GRA): “…we,
the technical people, making the highway, we are obliged to
think about this as well. So we must have a dubbing road for
agricultural vehicles, …”
Georgi
Ivanov (Mayor of Kresna): Asks for end of the meeting.
Petko
Kovachev (CEIE): Concluding
words.
Dimitar
Vassilev (ECO-CLUB 2000): Conclusive words.
END OF THE MEETING
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