Smolyan hooks up with Pamporovo
A direct, 25 million leva lift will connect the city of Smolyan with Pamporovo's ski resorts and Snezhanka Mountain. The line will be seven km long and will substantially shorten the time it takes to reach Pamporovo from Smolyan. With the new direct lift to Snezhanka, car traffic will also ease in the resort. The direct lift connection was an old idea, but has not been implemented because of a lack of funds. 

Tax inspections
Tax officers and prosecutors started inspections in Pamporovo three weeks ago, investigating the origin of money invested in hotel construction and other facilities. Smolyan District Prosecutor Dimcho Georgiev announced the checks in mid-November. Georgiev expects the inspections in Pamporovo to be completed by February 2007. Construction work in four Pamporovo hotels has been stopped on the grounds of illegal or irregular documents. The inspections are expected to determine if companies have declared and paid taxes on revenue that corresponds to money invested in construction.

Homeless firefighters
The Pamporovo fire fighting unit has effectively been disbanded since it lost its firehouse. The unit has been using facilities in the Snezhanka Hotel since 1993. But three months ago the fire fighters had to leave when the hotel was privatised. Today, if there is a fire, Pamporovo counts on units from Smolyan and Chepalare, which are 12km and 18km away, respectively. Pamporovo’s unit may use facilities in Smolyan. Pamporovo’s police department also has some housing difficulties. At present, police officers are using temporary rooms at the Rozhen Hotel.     

Ski lessons
Pamporovo AD ski school reported receiving almost 2400 requests for lessons, the school’s head Lybomir Sankiiski said in mid November. The amount was more than a one-third increase compared to requests received last year. Most of the requests came from Ireland and the UK. The price for full ski school service for a week is currently 450 leva. The price for an hour of training and equipment is 15 leva.

Treasure hunters
Ninety per cent of the ancient mounds in Smolyan region have been destroyed by treasure hunters, Damyan Damyanov, an archaeologist from Smolyan Alcheological Museum, said on December 12. Not all of the mounds were completely destroyed. “Unfortunately the fact is that treasure hunters are the first to reach the moguls,” Damyanov said. It was absolutely necessary for the state to adopt new laws about museums especially since current legislation dates from 1959.
 
Ryanait in Plovdiv
The leading Irish low-cost air carrier Ryanair will start regular flights to Plovdiv from August 2007. Ryanair will service lines to Germany, UK and Spain.