Bulgarian citizens demand referendum on wind farms on agricultural land

Citizens from four Bulgarian districts protested in Varna, calling for a referendum on constructing solar and wind farms on agricultural land.

Residents from the Dobrich, Silistra, Shumen, and Varna districts gathered in front of the Regional Environment and Water Inspectorate in Varna. Their primary demand is a national referendum to decide whether solar and wind farms should be allowed on fertile agricultural land.

The immediate reason for the protest is the planned construction of a wind farm in the village of Slaveevo, located in the Dobrich district. An expert council meeting is expected soon to assess the environmental impact of this project. Dobrich, situated in northeastern Bulgaria, has the highest potential for wind energy utilization in the country.

Vladimir Kalchev, president of the White Swallow National Civil Initiative, announced that an open letter would be sent to the president, prime minister, and chair of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, outlining the reasons to hold the referendum.

All residents of Slaveevo signed a petition opposing the wind farm project

According to Kalchev, all residents of Slaveevo signed a petition opposing the wind farm project. According to the Bulgarian Energy from Renewable Sources Act,  wind and solar farms should be built on uncultivable and degraded land. However, Kalchev claims that investors frequently bypass the rule through municipal councils, arguing that they amend urban planning documents and rezone land for construction.

The land slated for development in Slaveevo is agricultural and arable. Kalchev expressed concern that the land would be leased for 25-30 years, questioning who would remove the wind turbines and concrete infrastructure once the lease expires.

Georgi Ganev, a resident of Slaveevo, said the project involves the installation of 25 turbines, one of which would be just 700 meters from the nearest homes. He argued that approximately 250 hectares of farmland would be destroyed and pointed out that existing wind farms near Kavarna have not improved the standard of living for residents.

Protesters clarified they are not against green energy but that they oppose building renewable energy infrastructure on fertile farmland.

No wind farms operational in Bulgaria since 2012

In late October, the Municipal Assembly of Dobrichka (also known as Dobrich rural, surrounding the city of Dobrich)  voted to prohibit the conversion of agricultural land to construction sites for wind farms. The declaration followed the cancellation of a planned local referendum on the matter.

A similar decision was recently made by the local parliament in neighboring General Toshevo, where the German company wpd plans to install wind turbines in both municipalities.

Authorities in nearby Vetrino, a municipality near Varna, blocked a CWP’s massive wind project last year. Since 2012, no wind farm has been commissioned in Bulgaria, mainly due to administrative barriers and legal uncertainties.

A proposed offshore wind farm law in Bulgaria sparked opposition in late 2023 from fishermen, the tourism industry, nongovernmental organizations, and local authorities in the coastal city of Varna and surrounding areas. The controversy led to the government’s downfall, causing a legislative stalemate.

Bulgaria is not the only country with controversies in the wind farm segment in the region that Balkan Green Energy News covers. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, residents of villages near Livno have successfully halted the Orlovača wind farm project. In Serbia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection blocked the planned construction of the Čestobrodica wind farm to protect natural habitats.