SOFIA AIRPORT:
NOT ABOVE OUR HEADS!
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THE PROBLEM

Sofia Airport is situated within the city of Sofia, very close to human settlements. Thus, it poses serious problems on environment and especially on human health. Bulgarian environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have argued against the project for "Reconstruction, development and extension of Sofia Airport", and their concerns about its inappropriate location have a long history.
Due to the limited participation of affected stakeholders and the lack of information flow, the development and decision-making of the project has proven nontransparent and undemocratic. The large loans being taken and the very poor economic indicators put under question the project's justification and raise the question of who will really benefit from it and who will pay the bill?

NGOs consider that:

  • So far, there are no adequate noise mitigation measures for the people living around the airport complex;

  • There is a direct threat to citizens' safety because of the aircraft flying over the city;

  • The two existing Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIA) of the new terminal building and new runway does not show the cumulative effect of the overall airport comlex on environment and human health;

  • There is a lack of information about the implementation of the project and the real impacts on the environment and human health;

  • NGOs are not involved in the project's development and the opinion of civil society groups is not taken into account;

  • The economic and technical studies are old and does not respond to the current conditions which puts under question the financial sustainability of the project;

  • Around 100 million EUROs of the project's cost are loans which have to be paid back.

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    Environmental Impact Assessment Decision#20-5/2001 of Ministry of Environment ad Waters:
    "4. Flights over the city are banned with the exception of those pointed out in the point 3 of chapter "Noise mitigation measures for Sofia Airport"
    "5. ...since October 15th, 2001 no night flights must be allowed from/to Sofia Airport between 11pm and 6am."


    This web site is made by:
    Environmental Association "Za Zemiata"
    www.zazemiata.org
    e-mail: info@zazemiata.org
    last update: 26.01.2004