Pirin National Park

• Commercial development (developments in the Bansko ski zone)
• Management systems/ management plan (lack of effective management mechanisms)
• Management and institutional factors (boundary issues)
• Illegal activities (illegal logging) 

Total amount granted: USD 24,915 of financial support from the Participation Programme of UNESCO for development of a strategy for sustainable tourism (2010)

On 1 December 2017, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/225/documents/. Additional information was submitted on 11 January, 4 and 19 April 2018 following the World Heritage Centre’s letters seeking clarifications on third party information regarding amendments to the current Management Plan of the property. These documents report the following:

• A new draft Management Plan for Pirin National Park has been further revised and reviewed by the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW), which subsequently decided that there would not be a need to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This decision has been challenged in court and therefore the plan could not yet be adopted. This delay has prevented further progress with the implementation of the remaining recommendations of the 2011 Reactive Monitoring mission, such as the development of a monitoring programme for impacts on the property from skiing activities in its buffer zone;
• In December 2017, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers adopted amendments to the current Management Plan, which remains in force until the new plan is adopted. The amendments allow for the replacement and increase in capacity of the existing ski facilities and the construction of associated infrastructure in the buffer zone of the property, as well as permitting construction of water catchment facilities inside the property (within the zone for protection of forest ecosystems and recreation). All possible projects that could be allowed with the introduction of these amendments will be subject to the necessary impact assessments. Following the adoption of these amendments, a development plan for the buffer zone will also be drafted, which will outline parameters for potential development and will be subject to the necessary procedures, including SEA and Appropriate Assessment (AA);
• During the reporting period, no new significant developments or projects related to construction of new infrastructure have been approved or implemented within the property and its buffer zone. Only proposals related to maintenance of existing infrastructure were approved.

On 5-9 March 2018, an IUCN Advisory mission visited the property at the request of the State Party to review the draft of the new management plan and the amendments introduced to the current Management Plan of the property.

On 25 May 2018, another letter was sent by the World Heritage Centre to the State Party seeking clarifications regarding third party information reporting that the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria decided to reject the decision of the MOEW to not subject the draft new Management Plan of Pirin National Park to full SEA and AA.

Regarding the new Management Plan for the property, it is noted that it could not yet be finalized due to Court proceedings. The ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court rejects the decision of the MOEW not to undertake a full SEA for the new Management Plan. This is welcome as the SEA can be an opportunity to address questions regarding the assurance of protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property. It is recommended that the Committee seek official confirmation from the State Party regarding the process it will follow subsequent to the Court decision. It is also recommended that the Committee request the State Party to ensure that a full SEA for the new Management Plan for the property is undertaken as a matter of priority, which should include a specific assessment of potential impacts on the OUV of the property, including from potential development in areas located within its buffer zone. The State Party should be requested to submit a copy of the SEA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN.

Regarding the current Management Plan for Pirin National Park, it is noted that the amendments adopted in December 2017 provide for the construction of water catchment facilities within the zone for protection of forest ecosystems and recreation. As these constructions would take place inside the property, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide more detailed information clarifying their potential extent and impacts and in how far these facilities would be related to potential developments in the property’s buffer zone. It is of concern that the amendments would also provide for expansion of skiing infrastructure in the buffer zone of the property. It should be recalled that the Committee in its Decision 37 COM 7B.17, requested the State Party to undertake a SEA of the development of the buffer zone, including consultations with stakeholders. The SEA for the new Management Plan should also address this request. It is therefore recommended that the Committee request the State Party not to implement the amendments to the current Management Plan and not to introduce any new amendments, until the SEA of the new draft Management Plan has been completed.

Once the results of the SEA are available, it is considered crucial to ensure that the new Management Plan comprehensively addresses all potential threats to the OUV of the property and clearly outlines how the management objectives, zoning and land use within Pirin National Park will contribute to protecting, and where possible enhancing the OUV of the property, and preventing any degradation of its integrity, including from socio-economic activities located outside its boundaries, based on the best available scientific knowledge.

It should be noted that the IUCN Advisory mission concluded that development of a clear and comprehensive long-term vision of the socioeconomic development in the buffer zone of the property and the broader region, which would be in line with the goal of long-term protection of the property’s OUV, is also necessary. Such a vision should provide a strategic framework for development, while also ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the process, facilitated by external mediation, if necessary, in order to achieve a situation where the vision is shared by all stakeholders concerned and provides clear provisions to protect the OUV of the property, including its conditions of integrity.