“There is not a single case of suicide among cave dwellers. Cave dwellers do not fall into depression. Cave dwellers are active people. There has never been a case of cave dwellers being drug dealers. There has never been a case of cave dwellers being pedophiles.“ This was said by zoologist and speleologist Dr. Petar Beron, who was a guest on the show “Delnici“ with host Nikolay Kolev.
Dr. Beron made his comment based on his over 70 years of practice related to the study of caves. He added that speleologists are a special kind of people who put in a lot of effort to study the geography of Bulgaria and other countries.
“This sport, which is also a science, is dangerous if you don't follow the rules. Secondly, it is a very useful activity because it increases knowledge about Bulgaria. There is almost nothing to discover on the ground, but things are not like that below it. There are still many large galleries underground, hiding many unknowns“, the guest added.
According to the zoologist, speleology is a noble activity that does not bring much money, but the risks are great and in order for a person to do it, he must be truly dedicated to it.
The zoologist emphasized that thousands of people have passed through the clubs and so far not a single such incident has been registered. He explained that cavers are active individuals who rely entirely on each other for their survival underground and collective responsibility excludes such actions.
Beron expressed skepticism about the claims about the functioning of a “spiritual school“ in the area of the incident. He recalled that educational structures in our country are regulated by the state, and Buddhism as a teaching does not preach violence or suicidal acts.
Regarding the information about the discovery of a large quantity of weapons, the scientist transferred the responsibility to the investigative authorities and those who issued the permits. According to him, the protection of protected areas and control over poachers is the duty of state services, not armed civilian patrols.
Dr. Beron also emphasized the scientific contribution of speleology to the geography of Bulgaria. He gave an example of research in the deepest abyss system in our country – “Kolkina Dupka“, where mapped galleries already exceed 20 kilometers.
In the conversation, the former chairman of the UDF also drew a parallel with the political situation in the country. He criticized the acute greed in society and the rapid transformation of people from former communist services into loyal NATO members.