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WWF: Growing Number of Hotels Endanger Bulgarian Nature
The Bulgarian Post 2007-02-26 10:57:32 Bulgaria must rein in construction of hotels and resorts for its booming tourist industry to protect endangered nature reserves, conservation group WWF said. Bulgaria's sandy beaches and sparsely populated mountains attract millions of euros (dollars) worth of investment every year in the rush to build up resorts little developed over decades of communist rule, Reuters news agency reported. Critics say rampant corruption and weak public administration mean the construction boom threatens habitats of many rare and endangered species of birds and plants. "Bulgaria has some of the most precious nature zones in Europe, but these are being demolished ... We urge you to ... take steps to protect the natural treasures of Bulgaria," WWF said in a letter to Bulgarian authorities. Sofia approved a plan earlier this month to include a fifth of its territory in the EU's nature conservation network Natura 2000, drawing criticism from local residents and businesses who fear the they will lose tourism revenues. Environmentalists, however, say many protected areas were not included in the network. |
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