“We rely exclusively on the stakeholders and their active participation in the development of management plans for the protected areas within the European ‘Natura 2000’ network in Bulgaria.” This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Maria Boyadzhiyska at the launch of the second national campaign under the “Knowledge for Natura 2000” project, which is held on the topic: the role and participation of interested parties in the process of developing “Natura 2000” management plans. The campaign is carried out within the framework of the “Knowledge for Natura 2000” project, which is implemented by the Directorate “National Service for Environmental Protection” at the Ministry of the Environment and Water and funded by Operational Program “Environment” 2014-2020.

Deputy Minister Boyadzhiyska explained that the main goal of the project is to raise awareness and above all increase the participation by stakeholders in the development of management plans for the protected areas. Within the framework of this campaign, 29 events will be organized, of which - one national in Sofia, and the remaining – one in each regional city. The Deputy Minister added that the development of management plans for the protected areas is rooted in the amendments proposed by the MOEW to the Biodiversity Act.

In the second national campaign under the project, the following topics will be discussed:

• Key points in the preparation of “Natura 2000” management plans;
• Measures included in the National Framework for Priority Activities;
• Relationship between the measures in the National Framework for Priority Activities and the Natura 2000 management plans.

The main objective of the project is to raise awareness in the country regarding “Natura 2000”, as well as to increase the capacity of and contribution by the stakeholders in order to achieve the objectives of the network by promoting these activities among the general public and finding support to achieve the defined goals.

More than 900 representatives of stakeholders participated in the first national campaign on the topic “Support for a better understanding of the management approach of ‘Natura 2000’ in Bulgaria”, which was held in the period February 2020 - October 2022. “We hope to attract more people to the topic this time, because it is extremely important for everyone,” concluded Deputy Minister Boyadzhiyska.

The Project BG16M1OP002-3.006-0001-C04 “Knowledge about Natura 2000” is implemented with the financial support of OP “Environment 2014-2020”. Beneficiary within it is the Directorate “National Office for Environmental Protection” at the MOEW.