Progress achieved for the construction of Struma Motorway

The Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, at its 44th meeting today, December 6, for the ninth consecutive year, left the file for the finalisation of Struma Motorway through the Kresna Gorge as a possible file, the Ministry of Environment and Water Management announced.

At the meeting of the Standing Committee, the Bulgarian delegation presented the progress on the implementation of the yet-to-be-completed section of the Struma Motorway in the area of the Kresna Gorge and expressed the position that it is extremely important to seek a balance between the protection of wild flora and fauna and ensuring the life, health and well-being of people.

NGO representatives stated that moving traffic out of the gorge is key, but pointed out that the construction of the eastern lane of the motorway, intended to take traffic from Kulata to Sofia, can be seen as an important step to reduce negative impacts on species and habitats and as a prerequisite for implementing appropriate biodiversity conservation measures.

Members of the Standing Committee acknowledged the progress made by the Bulgarian authorities on the implementation of the project and the agreement reached in February with the European Commission (EC) on the necessary next steps to complete it.

Both the European Commission (EC) and the Bern Convention recognize that future steps regarding the Struma Motorway project must balance the stability of administrative decisions with the protection of habitats and species.

The position has been taken by the Bulgarian authorities for years and with today's decision, construction of the eastern route will be able to start as soon as possible, allowing traffic to be removed from the gorge and reducing pressure on wildlife.

The Standing Committee also recommended enhancing dialogue with stakeholders and conducting studies on minimizing environmental impact, including forming an expert team to support the planning of the second lane alongside the first, while preserving the protected areas.

At the same time, to ensure stakeholder participation in the process, the Standing Committee recommends strengthening dialogue with them and involving them in the subsequent stages of the project's development. This would help ensure that habitat and species conservation considerations are taken into account. Specifically, at the request of the petitioner, the Committee recommends studies be conducted parallel to the construction of the eastern lane (from Kulata to Sofia), examining conditions under which the second lane can be built with minimal impact on protected habitats and species. An ecological expert team should assist in developing optimal technical solutions.

This approach aims to allow the completion of the Struma Motorway with two new lanes while keeping the existing road as an alternative route.