A team of experts of the Coalition for Sustainable Use of EU Finds in Bulgaria is going to Brussles for a set of meetings with representatives of European Commission, European Parliament and other institutions. The discussions will focus on how EU money are used in Bulgaria, difficulties and possibilities for improvement. Special attention will be given to several OPs, among them Environment, Regional Development, Transport and Cross-Border Cooperation. Some concrete projects, such us Struma motorway will be also discussed.
The team includes representqtives of Green Policy Institute, EA Za Zemiata (For the Earth) and Public Environmental Center for Sustainable Development (Varna).
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
SAC verdict in favour of citizens!
Dear friends,
It's a great pleasure to inform you that the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) of Bulgaria has canseled the positive decision of the Minister of Environment on Chelopech Mining's EIA for introduction of cyanide leaching in gold extraction!
With its Decision No 13092 from November 04, 2009, SAC has canceled EIA Decision No 8 from July 30, 2008 г. of the Minister of Environment and Waters. The court sends the documents back to the Minsiter with a recommendation for a new ministerial decision to be prepared, in line with the Court's motives.
The case against the EIA Decision was opened by the following NGOs: Association for agricultural and environmental projects - Plovdiv, Centre for Environmental Information and Education - Sofia, Green Balkans - Plovdiv, Ecoforum - Sofia, For the Earth - Sofia, "Underground Values" Association - Sofia and Green Policy Institute.
The Court recognizes most of our arguments including:
1. The very ling period between the finalization of the EIA Report and the Decision (2 years and 4 months) which makes the information at the Report outdated, incl. the one for the level of pollution at the region.
2. The decision of the Ministry of Environment t oset up public hearings only at the villages of Chelopech and Chavdar is wrong.
3. The proposed cyanide technology cannot be described as Best Available Technique (BAT) because the concentration of the Arsenic at the Chelopech ore is very high and such a technology exist only at experimantal stage in Arozina, US.
Let's keep the hope,
Petko Kovachev, ED
It's a great pleasure to inform you that the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) of Bulgaria has canseled the positive decision of the Minister of Environment on Chelopech Mining's EIA for introduction of cyanide leaching in gold extraction!
With its Decision No 13092 from November 04, 2009, SAC has canceled EIA Decision No 8 from July 30, 2008 г. of the Minister of Environment and Waters. The court sends the documents back to the Minsiter with a recommendation for a new ministerial decision to be prepared, in line with the Court's motives.
The case against the EIA Decision was opened by the following NGOs: Association for agricultural and environmental projects - Plovdiv, Centre for Environmental Information and Education - Sofia, Green Balkans - Plovdiv, Ecoforum - Sofia, For the Earth - Sofia, "Underground Values" Association - Sofia and Green Policy Institute.
The Court recognizes most of our arguments including:
1. The very ling period between the finalization of the EIA Report and the Decision (2 years and 4 months) which makes the information at the Report outdated, incl. the one for the level of pollution at the region.
2. The decision of the Ministry of Environment t oset up public hearings only at the villages of Chelopech and Chavdar is wrong.
3. The proposed cyanide technology cannot be described as Best Available Technique (BAT) because the concentration of the Arsenic at the Chelopech ore is very high and such a technology exist only at experimantal stage in Arozina, US.
Let's keep the hope,
Petko Kovachev, ED
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Green Policy Institute - who we are?
Founded: 2006
Statute: Foundation
Founders/Memebrs of the Board: Vasil Kadrinov (sociology/human rights), Dentza Petrova (sociology/eco-education, energy), Ivaylo Hlebarov (computers/waste management, EU funds), Neli Petrova, Petko Kovatchev (economist/energy, EU funds), Petko Tzvetkov (biology), Todor Todorov (history/climate change)
Other experts: Dragomir Konstantinov (economist/regional development, EU funds), Iordan Velikov (agribusiness/EU funds), Evgenia Avramova (lawyer)
Mission: The mission of the organisation is to change the development pattern of Bulgaria and region from business-as-usual to sustainable development.
Goals: The main goals of GPI are:
1.To work for generating and for the enforcement of various green policies in Bulgaria towards sustainable development, protection of the environment, strengthening of democracy, respect for human rights, and improvement of the welfare of Bulgaria's citizens.
2.To disseminate and work for enforcing, in Bulgaria, the various green policies generated within the international community.
Work:
1.Energy & Climate: new energy projects in Bulgaria (Belene NPP, oil pipelines), energy strategy for Bulgaria, promoting energy efficiency & renewables (alternative energy scenarios)
2.EU funds: monitoring of EU funds, civil mid-term report, campaigning on various projects
3.Regional Development: implementation of Rio Conventions on local and regional level
4.Sustainable Development: work on Bulgaria's SD strategy
GPI's work includes providing trainings and education, organising lectures, presentations of experts and debates, campaigning, doing research and publishing analyses and reports, providing media with its findings, etc.
Publications:
Citizens’ control on public funds for environmental protection (2006)
Bulgarian energy: 2006 and further (2006)
Analysis of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Greece for co-operation in the construction and exploitation of “Bourgas – Alexandrupois” oil pipeline (2007)
Environmental Effects of the Closure of Uranium Mining in Bulgaria (2008)
Preliminary Analyses of the Impact of Bourgas – Alexandrupois Oil Pipeline on Natura 2000 Zones (2008)
Stimulating Public Participation for Integrating Global Environmental Issues into Strategies and Plans for Regional Development and Spatial Planning in Bulgaria (2009)
Membership in various NGO coalitions:
NO to Belene NPP! Coalition
Save Black Sea Coalition
Civil Coalition for Sustaianble Use of EU Funds in Bulgaria
Bulgaria – Zone, Free of Cyanides! Coalition
Statute: Foundation
Founders/Memebrs of the Board: Vasil Kadrinov (sociology/human rights), Dentza Petrova (sociology/eco-education, energy), Ivaylo Hlebarov (computers/waste management, EU funds), Neli Petrova, Petko Kovatchev (economist/energy, EU funds), Petko Tzvetkov (biology), Todor Todorov (history/climate change)
Other experts: Dragomir Konstantinov (economist/regional development, EU funds), Iordan Velikov (agribusiness/EU funds), Evgenia Avramova (lawyer)
Mission: The mission of the organisation is to change the development pattern of Bulgaria and region from business-as-usual to sustainable development.
Goals: The main goals of GPI are:
1.To work for generating and for the enforcement of various green policies in Bulgaria towards sustainable development, protection of the environment, strengthening of democracy, respect for human rights, and improvement of the welfare of Bulgaria's citizens.
2.To disseminate and work for enforcing, in Bulgaria, the various green policies generated within the international community.
Work:
1.Energy & Climate: new energy projects in Bulgaria (Belene NPP, oil pipelines), energy strategy for Bulgaria, promoting energy efficiency & renewables (alternative energy scenarios)
2.EU funds: monitoring of EU funds, civil mid-term report, campaigning on various projects
3.Regional Development: implementation of Rio Conventions on local and regional level
4.Sustainable Development: work on Bulgaria's SD strategy
GPI's work includes providing trainings and education, organising lectures, presentations of experts and debates, campaigning, doing research and publishing analyses and reports, providing media with its findings, etc.
Publications:
Citizens’ control on public funds for environmental protection (2006)
Bulgarian energy: 2006 and further (2006)
Analysis of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of Greece for co-operation in the construction and exploitation of “Bourgas – Alexandrupois” oil pipeline (2007)
Environmental Effects of the Closure of Uranium Mining in Bulgaria (2008)
Preliminary Analyses of the Impact of Bourgas – Alexandrupois Oil Pipeline on Natura 2000 Zones (2008)
Stimulating Public Participation for Integrating Global Environmental Issues into Strategies and Plans for Regional Development and Spatial Planning in Bulgaria (2009)
Membership in various NGO coalitions:
NO to Belene NPP! Coalition
Save Black Sea Coalition
Civil Coalition for Sustaianble Use of EU Funds in Bulgaria
Bulgaria – Zone, Free of Cyanides! Coalition
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