The Plan for Integrated Development of the Municipality of Burgas in the period 2021 – 2027 divides the territory of the municipality into several zones depending on their specifics and opportunities, that they provide for the implementation of projects.
Via Pontica Foundation, represented by its founder and Chairperson of the Management Board, Ms. Ina Agafonova, presented its project idea to be included in the priority projects and partnership opportunities through active participation of the Municipality of Burgas and all stakeholders.
The essence of the proposal is to include the western shore of Burgas Lake into the priority areas for impact for connectivity and integration in the Plan for Integrated Development of the Municipality of Burgas in the period 2021 – 2027, given that Lake Burgas is one of the two coastal lakes in the Municipality of Burgas, which falls with its entire territory within the city of Burgas and the Municipality of Burgas has taken the first steps to build green infrastructure near Lake Burgas (recreation areas on the east coast) and has a project for the construction of a visitor center for bird watching on the western shore of Lake Burgas, funded by European funds.
There is also a private economic interest, thanks to which the ecological infrastructure in the area for the western shore of Burgas Lake has been built and is to be expanded (Vaya Ecopark, which protects the area of Vaya Protected Area with an area of 379,354 ha – www.ecoparkvaya.com). Within this territory there is a farm for extensive environmentally friendly fish farming on an area of 60 ha, which makes the place especially valuable from an ecosystem point of view, arouses considerable interest, but at the same time remains isolated due to the lack of any transport connection, not only with the city (such as public transport, bike lanes, walking routes), but also with nearby settlements (Dolno Ezerovo).
Taking into account the European, national and regional strategic documents, which without exception, include the introduction of ecosystem services and solutions based on nature (Nature-based solutions) in the priorities at all territorial levels and that in the programming period 2014-2020 almost no investments have been made for Burgas Lake and its adjacent territories (except for the isolated few small recreation areas on the east coast), although Burgas is one of the most important cities for tourism in Bulgaria, the inclusion of the western shore of Burgas Lake, together with Vaya Ecopark and the territory between the Ecopark and Dolno Ezerovo district into the priority impact zones for connectivity and integration for the period 2021-2027 is extremely urgent.
Time is one of the biggest advantages of the city of Burgas – the natural wealth, not to develop it only as separate small initiatives of NGOs from the region, but to be perceived as a leading in the integrated development of Burgas Municipality by the municipal administration.