On April 9, Environment Minister Djevdet Chakurov signed the draft resolutions establish 10 new areas protected as part of Natura 2000 environmental network, the environment ministry's press service said. But on the same day, eco-activists from Da Spasim Irakli said the minister allowed a local company to prospect and quarry rock in the Irakli-Emona Natura 2000 zone, claiming it would disrupt wildlife habitats protected by the European Union-wide programme.

The newly-established Natura 2000 zones are Kotlenska Planina (Kotlenska Mountain), Berkovitsa, Zlatno Pole, Yazovir Zhrebchevo (Zhrebchevo Lake), Kamenski Bair, Boboshevo, Kocherinovo, Dolna Koznitsa, Osogovo and Skrino. Any interested parties have one month to present to Chakurov their written statements, objections and proposals on the proposed areas, the ministry said.

At the same time, Chakurov plans to give Haskovo-registered firm Baron the right to prospect an area of 100ha for potential use as a construction materials quarry, even though he had already banned any “re-zoning and the way of permanent usage of the lands and the forests”, as well as “sand extraction”, in that area. The ban expires in July 2008.

Baron plans to apply for a quarry concession in the area, Dnevnik daily reported on April 9. It said that landowners feared it was a way for the Government to force them to sell their land, which it will be able to do if a recent bill of amendments to concession laws is passed through.

“This is a way our lands to be stolen at a ridiculous price,” Donka Kitanova, chairperson of the association of landowners in the Emine-Irakli area said. Kitanova said land prices in the area were around 200-250 euro a sq m, but in the case of forced alienation theprice they would be paid would be much lower.

The ministry, however, claims the quarry would not have a major impact on the Natura 2000 area because any business activity will be strictly regulated and the actual quarry will cover 20 per cent of the prospected area at most, Dnevnik reported.

Chakurov has already submitted the proposal to allow prospecting for approval by the Cabinet, which could vote on it as early as April 10, when its next meeting is scheduled.