About 3,500 Decares of Sand Dunes Along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast are Privately Owned

Of the 4,700 decares of sand dunes along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, nearly 3,500 decares are privately owned, Ombudsman Maya Manolova said after a meeting with citizens who contacted her over suspected construction works in protected areas in the town of Sozopol, a Focus News Agency correspondent reported. "This terrain is а private municipal property as it is owned by the Ministry of Defence, but it is a unique terrain between Gradina and Zlatna Ribka campsites," Manolova said. In her words, we should not focus on whether it is a beach or a dune, but the place, which is unique, should be preserved. "We suspect that it is public state property, but this can be established after analyzing the transactions that took place," the Ombudsman said, adding that the destruction of Bulgaria's invaluable riches should stop. She said the prime minister could make the first step towards that by "just stopping the tender".