244,226 of 300,000 signatures

Nikolai Denkov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, and Frans Timmermans First Vice-President of the European Commission, Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission and Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment

Petition

We call upon you to ensure that European laws for the protection of nature are respected and the pristine valley of Kresna Gorge in Bulgaria is saved from destruction.

In particular, we demand that the European Commission refuses to release any subsidies for the construction of a major motorway, which would cut through the precious Natura 2000 site protected under European and Bulgarian law. We demand that the Commission ensures that all but local traffic is removed from the gorge, and the motorway is built fully outside of it.

Why is this important?

Construction companies are just starting to put tarmac on Bulgaria's richest nature reserve to build a trans-European motorway. [1] Heavy construction machines and hot asphalt will destroy the habitat of hundreds of Europe's rarest species.

The Bulgarian government is sticking to their damaging plans even though there is a reasonable alternative to the motorway. [2] They have already broken a number of European laws that protect nature, but the European Commission has only imposed conditions, which are not sufficiently implemented and remain ineffective. [3] Kresna Gorge is a protected nature reserve and it is the duty of the European Commission to preserve this precious natural jewel.

Locals have been protesting for over 20 years to protect the Kresna Gorge, but all their petitions and complaints to the Commission couldn’t stop the Struma motorway from routing through the gorge. When the fight seems too big for locals alone, we, as citizens of Europe can come together.

With a massive public outcry from all over Europe we can persuade the Commission to take resolute actions to stop the roadbuilders before they destroy the habitat for bears, wolves, butterflies and bats.

The narrow valley is home to protected species of snakes, tortoises and golden eagles and it is a crucial north-south migratory corridor for bears and wolves. It is a spectacular nature haven in southwestern Bulgaria, home to twice as many butterfly species as the whole of the UK.

But in October 2017, the Bulgarian Government decided it would carve through the 16 km-long Kresna Gorge to build a road to connect Hamburg with Sofia and Thessaloniki. While almost everybody - the EU, the Bulgarian government and local population - agrees to create this missing link, the Bulgarian government clings stubbornly to the routing through the gorge instead of an alternative path in the east of the valley.

Years ago, Bulgaria received money from the EU to establish Kresna Gorge as a protected national park. Now the EU is funding its destruction and the motorway! We are asking the Commission to halt funding to the motorway or even bring a lawsuit to ensure that the no nature in Kresna Gorge is put at risk or destroyed.

Photo credit: Stratospheric Productions

References:

[1] The source is in Bulgarian. Summary translation was provided by our partner Za Zemiata: http://www.mrrb.government.bg/bg/hemus-i-struma-ste-budat-prioritet-na-mrrb-i-prez-2018-g/

[2] http://www.foeeurope.org/sites/default/files/biodiversity/2017/save_kresna_gorge_briefing.pdf

[3] 2008 EIA/ AA decision 1-1/2008 of the Ministry of Environment and Water

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244,226

of 300,000 signatures

Recent comments

Julie

I love nature and wildlife, destroying this area Will ultimatley distroy part of our planet. We should be doing things to preserve our hábitat.

Sharon

Protect Kresna Gorge from a road development

Alex

Protect this environment

David

This is an irreplaceable habitat, put the road somewhere else.

Patricia

Save our world!

Mary

Find an alternative, even if it's harder or costs more. We have to stop thinking that our actions are alone in the universe. They add up. And we need less than we think.

Jill

Please help tp prevent this destructive action !!

Nigel

An alternative less destructive option should be used.

Pam

Please value the wonderful wildlife in Bulgaria. Such loss will be felt by future generations and hold you accountable.

Dr Richard

We have one planet. We need to preserve it and not help in its destruction. This plan to build a motorway on this precious land is not just wrong, it's suicidal.

J

Stop the asphalt now!

Stephen

It is once again all down to money and greed. European laws for the protection of nature are NOT respected and the pristine valley of Kresna Gorge in Bulgaria SHOULD be saved from destruction.

Tracey

The humans with $ are destroying our planet. We need healthy food sources. Tiny homes that leave a footprint we can live with. Put money into humanity, feed the World, house all humans, provide medicine, don't pave paradise and put up a parking lot". "You don't know what you've got til it's gone". OPEN YOUR EYES, the deep pocketed trumpsters are destroying the World!!! Stay off the moon, research, yes, but don't go moving in where you ought not to be. Simply put, if we cannot treat people with respect, then don't bother digging up God's Green Earth, because everything is related... are those paving over paradise so stupid as to not realize that the literal air we breathe is due to the trees? I for one don't want to live in a technological World of AI dummies and canned air living in the blackness of space with artificial sunlight. WALLE... with nothing to do but sit with a cruise ship stuff your face on fake food mentality. OUR WORLD is filled with WONDERS, and it baffles the mind that idiots who can would rather pave over the beauty and see people starve or living on the streets to pad their own bank accounts. Leave nature alone. If we are able to be like the Jetsons, we won't need paved roads... but with the wreaking of Climate changes, who knows if flight will even be possible moving forward... look at the devastating storms that are a result of all the damage we have done to our home, EARTH. I see it will implode one day and all the money in your pockets will be for not. WISE UP, and see to HUMANITY, which is Human Nature to preserve, love, care for, and look after one another... people and animals and insects and everything that makes this a living planet... the bees, the birds, the trees, but especially so the air we breathe, clean water, less trash, more composting, recycling... put your money into things that matter. PEOPLE matter, but not in a monetary sense. Everyone deserves a roof over head, food in the fridge, utilities, and a place to sleep deep, and lay their head. The older I get the more I see the reality to the cruelty of humans upon human beings. Dog eat dog World, and that is an insult to dogs as far as I can see.

Alison

Our natural places are so important as we lose more and more land and species to development and Climate change. These things are irreplaceable and should be treasured. Please save Kresna Gorge!

Margaret

Nature reserves are just that, set aside as places for the protection of nature and wildlife. This building of a motorway, should never be allowed......a nature reserve is reserved for nature to thrive, which in turn we can enjoy and thrive too. The pandemic taught us all open spaces and nature were crucial to maintain human health and wellbeing.

Christine

JUST STOP RUINING OUR PRECIOUS ECOSYSTEMS ENVIRONMENT.

Sue

Please save this precious land.

Linda

Stop, stop, stop. We are destroying the world one ite at a time.

Andy

We are in a climate crisis, all politicians should have a minimum IQ of 150 to cope. They just need to listen to an MP3 file of logical progression. As used in UK prisons by prison chaplains.

Caroline

Do not disrupt nature : we need it.

Fabienne

Save nature and choose the alternative route

Gwen

Please protect the Kresna Gorge and stop funding do the planned motorway cant be built.

Marta

Save the little we have left!

Lynne

More senseless destruction of our wonderful environment. As Richard Adams said in 'Watership Down': 'They (humans) won't be satisfied until they have destroyed the earth.'

Ian

Wildlife preservation and nature conservation should come first, before profit and corporate development.

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Protest against the motorway through the gorge in Sofia, Bulgaria. A videographer is filming a group of protesters. — Protest in the heart of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

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