The Standing Committee of the Berne Convention welcomed the progress in the case of the Struma Motorway through the Kresna Gorge and decided not to reopen the file against Bulgaria on the Kaliakra case, related to the construction of wind farms in the Kaliakra and Balchik regions. This was decided at a Committee meeting from 8 to 12 December in Strasbourg.

At the meeting, the Bulgarian delegation presented the progress in the implementation of the unbuilt section of the Struma Motorway in the Kresna Gorge region, achieved in a spirit of constructive cooperation with the complainants from the Coalition "Let's Save the Kresna Gorge".

The members of the Standing Committee were informed about the Roadmap adopted by Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 62 from February 2025 and the permanent expert working group established in implementation of the decision. As a result of the established permanent dialogue, all administrative cases that had been initiated, preventing the construction of the highway, were withdrawn and significant steps were taken for its completion. In early November 2025, a construction permit was issued for the bypass of the city of Kresna, which, upon completion, will remove heavy traffic from the city and ensure the safety of its residents. In addition, a contract for the design and impact assessment of the route of the new Western lane is expected to be signed by the end of the year - a commitment made by the state at last year's meeting.

All the facts presented by the Bulgarian delegation were confirmed by the present NGO representatives. The consistent joint efforts for the implementation of this strategically important project received the unanimous approval of the members of the Standing Committee, who pointed out that after many years of insurmountable conflict, the work on it is becoming an example of how important public priorities for the construction of strategic infrastructure and the protection of biodiversity can be combined.

The Bern Convention will continue to monitor the next steps in the implementation of the project and called on the parties to continue their cooperation. Taking into account the progress achieved, the Standing Committee will review the progress of the project at its meeting in two years' time in 2027.

With regard to the Kaliakra case, the Committee welcomed Bulgaria's efforts and noted the measures taken to protect birds in the coastal zones of the Natura 2000 network, including the extension of the ban on the construction of wind turbines in the Kaliakra protected area in 2024 and the introduction of strict regimes in the Kaliakra complex protected area.

The decision also highlights the importance of independent scientific assessments and long-term monitoring, which confirm the absence of significant negative impacts on migratory birds in the Kaliakra area.

The Committee also noted the readiness of the Ministry of Environment and Water for a constructive dialogue with stakeholders and conservation NGOs with the aim of optimally protecting birds along the Via Pontica flyway.

The case file was closed in 2022 after the country took a number of measures to limit the impact of wind farms on biodiversity. In the summer of 2025, the complainants, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, requested the Convention to reopen the file due to the increased number of investment proposals related to the construction of wind farms in the Dobrudzha and Ludogorie regions.