The first stage of the EUR 3,3 million Phare Cross Boarder Cooperation project "E- 79 Detailed Design of Motorway Sofia - Kulata consisting of two motorways - 'Ljulin' and 'Struma'" - is finishing with dubious results. Number of alternatives were designed for both motorways giving no alternative for local people and nature. A 174 km motorway construction would create several serious conflicts with the important environmental areas, but the designing of the motorway goes on…

Protection of the Kresna Gorge, a future NATURA 2000, is still at stake. Three proposed routes in the 'Struma' Motorway feasibility study would pass through the Gorge, destroying protected biodiversity according to the Bulgarian and EU legislation. Since the beginning of the Phare project, Bulgarian environmental NGOs asked for alternative route outside the gorge. Fallowing art.6 of the EU Habitat Directive, such an alternative is a must. The designing company SPEA argued in the beginning of 2000 that Terms of Reference do not require alternatives, but to design a motorway that would follow the existing route in the Gorge.

After a Member of the European Parliament, Mr. Erik Meijer raised the issue in Brussels and Bulgarian NGOs appealed to EC, the EC Delegation in Bulgaria organised two meetings for the interested parties in November 2000. On November 17, the decision to include development of alternative route-beds in the Terms of Reference was announced on one of the meetings. DG Enlargement also stated that "the Commission will closely fallow, especially through its Delegation in Sofia, the planning of the Struma motorway, in order to ensure that the less damaging route for the environment is used and that alternative solutions have been considered" (Brussels, 21.11.2000 / C1-5399). Later on, the need for alternatives for the EU-funded projects, as a compliance with EU acquis, was emphasised several times by the Commissioner Margot Wallstrom in her letters to Bulgarian NGOs.

However, on January 31, 2003 the head of the EC Delegation in Bulgaria, Dimitris Kourkoulas, wrote: "As we have reiterated several times to you, study of alternative alignments for Kresna Gorge outside the existing corridor is not included in the Terms of References for SPEA contract and the Contracting Authority has never requested funding from the Commission to undertake such a study. Again, we suggest that you take up this matter with relevant Bulgarian authorities. With respect to the Habitat Directive, we would reiterate that feasibility study must take a full cognisance of Bulgarian legislation, including any harmonization there may betweenit and EU normative standards." (Sofia, 28 208 /P15.7.4) In addition, it became clear that the Phare money for project has been almost entirely spent and that detailed design of the 'Struma' Motorway will not happen.

The final result is simply a tick in the box. Bulgaria has a feasibility study report, and it doesn't matter if it doesn't comply with the EU legislation and propose a solution that would significantly impair the environment. Phare program funds are absorbed and the paper work is done. That's the only thing that matters. How much more should Bulgarian and European taxpayers give to finish the motorway? Why all the statements coming from the EC remain empty wording? "I am looking for an answer of those questions" shared Anelia Stefanova from Environmental NGOs "For the Earth", a citizen of an accession country.