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En En Notice to Members European Parliament 2014-2019 Committee on Petitions 22.2.2019 NOTICE TO MEMBERS Subject: Petition No 0527/2018 by Dimitar Vasiliev (Bulgarian) on the impact of Struma motorway on Kresna Gorge and the region, Bulgaria 1. Summary of petition The petitioner expresses his deep concern and an opposition to the decision from 19 October 2017 of the Bulgarian government on the construction of corridor 4 that is a part of Struma motorway, which will link Hamburg, Germany and Thessaloniki, Greece. The motorway is financed by the European Union under Operational Programme for Transport 2007-2013 and 2014-2020. The planned corridor is to be constructed on the place of the local road E79, which is the only road that connects the town of Kresna with the surrounding small villages and with the city of Blagoevgrad. The petitioner argues that if the plan goes ahead, it will have a long- term impact on the tourism in the area and on the transport costs for the local population as well as the environment. The petitioner is calling on the European institutions to take action and urge the Bulgarian government to build the motorway on an alternative route and by surrounding the Kresna Gorge as it was originally decided in 2008. Information – The petition is also to be found on https://www.change.org/p/министър-председателя- на-република-българия-да-спасим-кресненското-дефиле – The petitioner, together with other citizens, has submitted a complaint to the Commission with reference number CHAP (2017)02186. – Relevant directives: Directive 952/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A31992L0043 Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32009L0147 2. Admissibility CM\1177925EN.docx PE636.165v01-00 EN United in diversityEN Declared admissible on 22 November 2018. Information requested from Commission under Rule 216(6). 3. Commission reply, received on 22 February 2019 The section of Struma motorway subject to the petition is called “Struma Motorway Lot 3.2”. Regarding the environmental concerns, Lot 3.2 was indeed initially covered by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Decision of 2008 (which covered the overall alignment of the Struma motorway including the selection of a tunnel option for the Kresna Gorge part of the motorway). Due to various constraints identified by the Bulgarian authorities (socio-economic, environmental and financial), they proposed a new alternative (the “new Eastern Alternative”) for the Struma motorway section in the area of the Kresna Gorge. The competent authority in Bulgaria decided that a new EIA procedure as well as a new appropriate assessment procedure had to be performed. It should be noted that the EIA Directive allows changes or extensions to projects already authorised, executed or in the process of being executed. In such cases, either a new EIA or a screening procedure has to be undertaken in view of the possible effects of the change/extension on the environment. Moreover, pursuant to Article 6.3 of the Habitats Directive1, the competent authorities shall agree on a plan or project only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the Natura 2000 sites concerned. An EIA decision (covering also the Appropriate Assessment procedure) and the impact on the Natura 2000 sites concerned was issued in November 2017 allowing the execution of the proposed “new Eastern Alternative”. The decision was subject to access to justice and was upheld by a final judgement of the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria, delivered in May 2018. Finally, until the project is formally submitted to the Commission, it is not in a position to assess the potential economic impacts on tourism, transport costs for the local population or environmental costs. Economic impacts are subject to a Cost-benefit Analysis (CBA) that will accompany the application form to the Commission. So far, the Commission has not received an official application to approve the project for the construction of Lot 3.2 of the Struma motorway. The application and its approval by the Commission are a prerequisite for EU co- financing. Conclusion The Commission will be able to assess the project’s compliance with EU legislation, including EU environmental legislation, after receiving the official application form including all necessary documentation from the Managing Authority. The Commission may approve an application for construction of Lot 3.2 only once it is ensured that the project is in full compliance with the provisions of EU legislation. 1 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7–5. PE636.165v01-00 2/2 CM\1177925EN.docx EN.
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