Minister Angelkova holds meeting with Regional Governors, Mayors of Black Sea municipalities and settlements on upcoming changes in the Black Sea Coast Spatial Planning Act (BSCSPA)

Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova discussed with Regional Governors and Mayors of Black Sea municipalities and settlements the upcoming changes in the Black Sea Coast Spatial Planning Act along with measures for smooth running of the summer season. The meeting, which took place in Sofia, was attended by representatives of the municipalities of Burgas, Varna, Nesebar, Pomorie, Avren, Kavarna, Shabla, Obzor, Ravda, Sinemorets, and Kranevo, and representatives of the regional administrations of Burgas, Varna and Dobrich.

“We have initiated this meeting to discuss the future changes in the law, our main goal being to jointly define the steps towards improving sector performance and ensuring smooth running of 2016 Summer Season”, Minister Angelkova said. The participants in the meeting all shared the view that maintaining operational dialogue is of crucial importance for only thus the concept of changing the model of beach governance and management could be implemented. Minister Angelkova requested that all opinions and proposals be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism in writing and assured that they will be taken into account.

The first proposals for amendments to the Black Sea Coast Spatial Planning Act are ready, providing for the transfer of beach concessions management from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works to the Ministry of Tourism. The drafts have been submitted for discussion to the National Assembly and have already garnered approval from the Committee on Regional Policy, Public Works and Local Government and the Economic Policy and Tourism Committee. In the coming days the draft law is expected to be moved to plenary for first reading and vote by the National Assembly, after which further changes are to be drafted if such a need is indicated. Parallel to that, efforts are focused on finalizing the new beach management concept, which requires the entire extant documentation to be transferred to the Ministry of Tourism. Only then factual amendments to the law will be proposed to ensure a comprehensive change in the beach management model.