The situation surrounding the replacement of the lift in the Malyovitsa resort caused a serious discussion yesterday during the meeting of the parliamentary Tourism Committee. Members of Parliament insisted on clarifying the reasons that led to the suspension of construction activities, as well as for a coordinated position of all competent institutions, travelnews.bg reported.
DEPUTY from GERB and member of the Tourism Committee Valentin Milushev raised the question of the future of one of the most emblematic mountain centers in Rila. According to him, initially a permit was issued by the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water (RIOSV) to replace the existing facility, but subsequently the institution changed its position and stopped construction activities.
“Permits have been issued, and subsequently the institutions replace their own decisions. This leads to a deadlock“, commented Milushev.
According to him, the delay in the project could lead to the closure of Malyovitsa during the next winter season, which would deal a serious blow to tourism, the local economy and the working local population. He emphasized that in European practice, lift facilities are periodically renovated to meet modern safety and efficiency requirements.
“In Europe, such facilities are replaced at a certain period of time. We cannot expect to develop winter tourism with old infrastructure“, said Milushev.
He defined the Malyovitsa region as “little Switzerland“ and one of the most beautiful parts of Rila, emphasizing that it is a private investment aimed at modernizing existing tourist infrastructure.
During the discussion, the MP from “Progressive Bulgaria“ and member of the Tourism Committee Yasen Shterev proposed requesting an official opinion from the Ministry of Environment and Waters (MESW), which would provide clarity on the case and the reasons for the suspension of the project. He emphasized to TravelNews that the situation is serious and that the Forestry Act must be amended in order to unblock investments in new lifts. “I am a skier and I support the development of winter resorts and ski sports. We cannot rely on old facilities given that in Austria, France and Italy they are constantly modernizing lifts. There they have green organizations, but they are developing their mountain resorts," Shterev told TravelNews.
The Chairwoman of the Tourism Committee Rositsa Kirova supported the idea and proposed that positions be collected from all interested parties.
„We need to request information from the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Shishkov regarding the arguments for stopping construction. We also need to hear the investor's opinion, as well as the position of the Ministry of Tourism“, Kirova said.
It is expected that after receiving the official opinions, the Tourism Committee will review the topic again and discuss possible solutions to overcome the situation. According to the deputies, the case of Malyovitsa is indicative of the need for better coordination between institutions in the implementation of investments in the tourism infrastructure, especially when it comes to the modernization of existing facilities in the mountain resorts.