Open letter from the citizens of the affected areas by the project of Ljulin motorway

"Ljulin" Initiative Committee (IC) was formed by representatives from the villages of the western region and districts of the city of Sofia: the villages of Malo Buchino, Ivanjane and the town of Bankja, IC is also supported by the district of Suhodol. The main goal is to prevent the construction of the Trans-European Corridor IV within the city of Sofia, through the fields of our urban territories.

The current project for "Ljulin" motorway does not satisfy the aims which were underlied for implementation, namely to divert the heavy traffic from the populated territories, to reduce the traffic jams and to improve the environmental conditions in the suburbs. The aim to relief significantly the traffic through Vladaja Gorge is not achieved. The traffic trough Knjazhevo and Vladaja will reduce but it was proved that the traffic on this road will stay heavy.

For that reason the only preserved clean territories of Sofia city for which there are strategies provided for tourism and spa development will be polluted (Gorna Banja and Bankja). The protected area of Bankja - the villages of Malo Buchino and Ivanjane will be destroyed.

Constructing the Trans-European Corridor IV within the borders of the Sofia city is unacceptable. Building an internationally significant junction leading to Southern, Northern and Western Bulgaria next to the living districts of Ljulin and Filipovci will be noxious to the people and the future development of the city of Sofia in Western direction.

As we said many times, we are not against the construction of the Trans-European Corridor IV but its place is not within the Ljulin and Vitosha mountains but to the west of Sofia on route for which there is an existing idea in Roads Executive Agency.

We object to passing the Trans-European Corridor IV through densely populated urban territories of the city of Sofia and through the "B" protected zone of Bankja. We consider as socially unacceptable the price of destroying such valuable resources and putting under stake people's life and health.

We appeal the competent institutions for full revision of the "Ljulin" motorway project and reconsider the overall conception for the future traffic in Bulgaria. Let the aim be to finance entirely and only sustainable projects not to absorb the 111 000 000 Euros at any price.

13th May 2003

For contacts:
"Ljulin" Initiative Committee
P.O. Box 208,
Sofia 1618,
fax: +359 2 955 95 93