“The 2022 budget provides for a 20% increase in the salaries of national parks employees, which I hope will contribute to fair treatment compared to renumeration for other colleagues.” This was announced by the Minister of Environment and Water Asen Lichev at the event for the 30th anniversary of the Central Balkan National Park, which took place today at the Earth and People Museum.

According to Minister Lichev, a large part of the equipment and the materials needed for work in difficult mountainous conditions are lacking. “In this regard, at the end of the year we managed to provide additional funding in the amount of 60 000 BGN for the Rila National Park and the Pirin National Park, as well as 105 000 BGN for the Central Balkan National Park,” added Minister Lichev.

“The Central Balkan is the pearl of the protected territories on the Balkan Peninsula, and the dedicated work of our colleagues has attracted international recognition,” said the Minister in his congratulatory address. Since 2006 the park is member of EUROPARC - the Federation of Natural and National Parks of Europe. In 2009 the park was awarded the European Diploma for Protected Areas - the first and only winner from Bulgaria of this prestigious international recognition awarded by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The Central Balkan is included in Bulgaria’s indicative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. According to Minister Lichev, these high achievements are a token not only of the qualities of the natural heritage, but also of the effectiveness of the protection and the park management system. “Therefore, I would like to thank the team of the directorate, former and present employees who have contributed to this prestigious recognition,” he concluded.

Minister Lichev gifted the director of the park Stanimir Marinov with a copy of the Red Book of Bulgaria. The park management presented an exhibition with the works of the finalists in the national children's drawing competition “The Central Balkan through my eyes”, where the youngest artist is 5 years old and the oldest - 18.