EU/BULGARIA - NGOs DISPUTE EU FUNDING FOR SOFIA AIRPORT

In a letter addressed on April 24 to the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Stability Pact, 25 Bulgarian environmental organisations and citizens' groups condemn EU funding of the expansion of Sofia airport. The organisations point out the negative social, environmental and economic impact of the project and call on the European institutions to take their concerns into account and to re-examine their support for the controversial project.

According to the Bulgarian NGOs, it is unacceptable for European Union funds - i.e. European taxpayers - to finance an unjustified investment that does not comply with legal standards. The organisations (Za Zemiata - For the Earth - and CEE Bankwatch Network, supported by experts and local citizens' organisations) state that the extension of the Sofia airport, located close to residential areas, poses a health and safety threat and is not economically justified due to declining passenger numbers and the bankruptcy of Bulgaria's Balkan Airlines. Currently, only Euro 110 million in EU funds have been committed to the airport expansion project, namely an EIB loan of 60 million and ISPA financing of Euro 50 million.

On behalf of the Initiative Committee for Citizen Protection from the Activities of Sofia Airport, its Chairman Emil Kolarov voiced support for the appeal, noting that the concerns of local residents have been brushed aside, in spite of promises of noise reduction measures and a public participation and control programme. Unfortunately, adds Mr Kolarov, construction work has already begun and the promises "remain only on paper". Among these, promises of compensation for expropriated property and promises of job creation have been ignored.

Keti Medarova of Za Zemiata notes that no real environmental impact assessment was conducted. The two non- technical impact studies on the new terminal and runway do not show the real cumulative environmental impact, in violation of both EU and national legislation. The organisation also maintains that the responsible institutions did not take public safety imperatives into account. Engineers working on the runway project and experts from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), who support the NGOs' appeal, are opposed to the project precisely because the impact study does not accurately assess public safety threats, notes Za Zemiata.

Finally, Magda Stoczkiewicz, co-ordinator of the campaign for CEE Bankwatch (which represents environmental NGOs from Central and Eastern Europe) and Friends of the Earth, points a particularly accusing finger at the EIB, which has a "poor record" when it comes to airport projects.
Stoczkiewicz points out that the Bank approved loans for the Schipol (Netherlands) and Heathrow (UK) airports even though complaints had been lodged against their extension and court cases are pending. "If the Bank does not care about the environment or the opinion of those affected, it should at least reconsider its financing for Sofia airport based on economic grounds", argues Stoczkiewicz.