Citizens, activists in Bulgaria oppose wind farm project that would destroy forest

In the municipality of Avren in Bulgaria, citizens and activists will gather on May 18 to express their opposition to a plan to build a wind farm with 29 turbines, which implies the clearing of 30 hectares of forest.

The eastern Bulgarian municipality of Avren is home to valuable forest ecosystems and it lies along one of the most important bird migration routes in Europe – the Via Pontica. A local forest protection initiative, which is organizing a protest on May 18 against a wind farm project, said the decision to change the forest land designation was made without public consultation or an environmental impact assessment, arguing it was against the law.

The said natural resources are of both national and international importance for biodiversity conservation and maintaining the ecological balance of the Black Sea region, protest organizers claim. Although the wind farm project may appear green at first glance, the construction of 29 turbines would require cutting down 30 hectares of forest, they warned. Moreover, the project is located near protected areas within the Natura 2000 network and intersects a key migratory route for birds.

Nearly 9,000 citizens have signed a petition calling for a moratorium on projects affecting forests

Almost 9,000 citizens have signed a petition demanding a moratorium on all projects affecting forests in the area until a comprehensive assessment of cumulative environmental impacts is conducted. They are calling for the suspension of the procedure to amend the general urban development plan and for halting the project, which they deem illegal and harmful to both nature and people.

They are demanding a full and independent environmental impact assessment, including a compatibility evaluation with Natura 2000, the organization of a transparent public debate involving the local community, scientists, and environmentalists, as well as to consider alternative locations outside of sensitive ecological zones.

On the other hand, the company developing the project claims the turbines would be equipped with thermal cameras and sensors to detect approaching birds, and that the wind turbines would automatically shut down if necessary. It added that the minimum distance from residential areas would be between 850 and 1,200 meters, in line with regulations.

The local authority supports the wind farm project. Mayor Emanuel Manolov said about fifty jobs would be created and that the local budget would receive between EUR 1 million and EUR 1.5 million annually.

A protest was also held in Kyustendil against wind and solar projects in nearby mountain areas

Citizens of the Kyustendil municipality have also voiced their opposition to wind turbines. On April 30, a protest was held in Kyustendil against the construction of a wind farm on Osogovo mountain and the expansion of a solar power plant on the Konjavska mountain. The municipal leadership and assembly have supported the citizens’ demands.

Bulgarian citizens have been fighting wind turbines for over a decade

Since 2012, no new wind farms have been put into operation in Bulgaria, mainly due to administrative barriers and legal uncertainty. Late last year, citizens from four districts – Dobrich, Silistra, Shumen, and Varna – protested in Varna, demanding a referendum on the construction of solar and wind power plants on agricultural land.

Earlier, the municipal assembly of Dobrichka (also known as Dobrich-selska – Dobrich rural) voted to ban the conversion of agricultural land into construction land for wind farms. A similar decision was made by the local parliament in General Toshevo. German company wpd plans to install wind turbines in both municipalities.

In 2023, authorities in Vetrino blocked CWP’s massive wind energy project. That same year, a draft law on offshore wind power in Bulgaria sparked opposition from fishermen, the tourism industry, nongovernmental organizations, and local authorities in the coastal city of Varna and its surroundings. It contributed to the fall of the government at the time, and the legislative process didn’t get far.

Citizens in other countries covered by Balkan Green Energy News are also resisting wind power projects. Last year, residents of several villages near Livno in Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to halt the planned construction of the Orlovača wind farm. Around the same time in Serbia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued nature protection conditions that prevented the construction of the Čestobrodica wind farm.