„Uncontrolled construction has led to us driving away tourists. From now on, there will be law and order, so that we can create a different type of resorts and tourism, since things are not functioning now.“ This was said by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Arch. Ivan Shishkov in Nessebar. He, together with the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, met with representatives of the tourism business in the region. The meeting is the second in a series of meetings with the tourism business - „Resorts and Infrastructure“.
„Currently there is an imbalance - the business pays taxes to the municipality, and „Sunny Beach“ AD is the owner of the infrastructure“, announced the regional minister. In his words, what has been happening over the years is absolutely illegal and must be stopped. According to him, the solution is for the company “Sunny Beach“ AD to transfer the streets and alleys to the municipality, and the water supply infrastructure – to the water supply company, without joint-stock companies and with a clear distinction of responsibilities and ownership.
“We cannot give money from the pockets of Bulgarian taxpayers so that a sinner, who has been created over the years and who cannot maintain the infrastructure of Sunny Beach, receives some money as a parasite“, explained Shishkov and was categorical that this infrastructure has always belonged to the Bulgarian state. Therefore, the streets must be managed by the municipality, and the water supply infrastructure – by the water supply company. The goal is to have order in the infrastructure and for it to return to where it belongs.
„From there on, we begin all the changes that should happen in Sunny Beach. Then both the hoteliers and those who by law must manage this infrastructure will be calm, and I hope that next summer the resort will look different“, emphasized Ivan Shishkov.
He shared that during the meeting, the hoteliers expressed their resentment at this management model in recent years and no longer wish to develop tourism according to the previous rules.
„All the lawlessness in the state is over. It is time for everyone to know who are those who do not want the law to be applied“, the minister also emphasized.
The Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ilin Dimitrov, announced that among the reforms that the government envisages in the sector is its clarification. He explained that according to the mayor of Nessebar, the tourist tax collected, despite the huge bed capacity, is lower in value than the one collected by the municipality of Varna. “That is why we are preparing changes in the unified tourist information system to shed light on the sector“, explained Dimitrov.
The meeting was also attended by the director of Burgas Water and Sewerage, Zlatina Dimitrova, who stated that the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant is a major regional priority. She called on all institutions in the Burgas region to work as a team to implement the project.
The regional minister also announced that it is planned to expand the Sunny Beach Ring Road, and will work together with the municipality.
Regarding the “Black Sea“ motorway The minister announced that an EIA procedure is currently underway for the section from Burgas to Varna, but all tourists who come here are counting on the highway to reach Turkey and Romania. It is expected that a task will be done within a few months and that the assignment of a conceptual design, a development plan and environmental assessments for the entire route will begin. The government's program envisages a design and a development plan within a year and a half, after which the highway will be built on a concession, and at the moment there is no concessionaire selected.
„However, the state cannot guarantee all deadlines, because there are also appeals that stop the future development of the state“, the minister explained. Therefore „all organizations that try to appeal the plans for the development of the state should think about the fact that we all live in it together.“
The meeting in Nessebar was also attended by the deputy chairman of the Tourism Commission and a member of parliament from „Progressive Bulgaria“ Yasen Shterev, the regional governor of Burgas Diko Dikov and the deputy regional governor Veselin Anestiev, the mayor of Nessebar Municipality Nikolay Dimitrov, the executive director of “Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding“ EAD Eng. Venelin Shakov.