Bulgaria’s political, private and environmental stakeholders have entered into a battle recently in regards to a controversial decision by the country’s Supreme Administrative Court to remove the protected status of the largest nature park in the Balkans - the Strandja Mountain. The decision has been claimed to favour the interests of a local mayor and businessman, who campaigned for hotel construction project within the park. The construction debate remains ambiguous in decision, with construction initially proclaimed illegal by the court, but followed with a more recent ruling against the protected status, giving a green light for development within the park boundaries. The Supreme Court’s ruling has caused massive outrage among Bulgarian citizens who see this as yet another illustration of the state’s inability to protect public interest, nature, and to enforce its own legislation under pressures of private business powers. The situation surrounding the Strandja Mountain Nature Park has evoked a great deal of protest throughout the country, uniting a coalition of environmental and public stakeholders to speak out and protest the manner in which the park debate has been handled at the expense of public interest and the environment.
Michel Bozgunov, BlueLink’s web designer, is one of several online activists who has been involved in the fight to save Strandja Mountain nature park In his campaign to protest the current situation at Strandja Mountain nature park Michel published information in his personal blog regarding the protests against the decision of the Supreme Court. As a result of Michel’s blog content he was summoned, interrogated, and advised “friendly” to refrain from blogging on topics of environmental protests. During the conversation, which he has described in his blog, Michel viewed an investigation file against himself and his blog, compiled by the General Service for Combat against the Organized Crime, one of Bulgaria’s several secret service entities. This case has become a highly publicized, as it reflects the unconstitutional restraints of individuals’ right to freedom of speech and content.
BlueLink warmly welcomes the actions of the police to uphold the law, but does not support the selective enforcement of identifying and interrogating specific individuals as a result of their blog content. For that reason BlueLink is taking a stand to such restrictions on freedom of speech within Bulgaria, as well as around the world. Everyday the protected areas come under threat from a great number of illegal activities and if citizens are refrained or intimidated from protesting such actions the long run threats to environment and public rights may be detrimental. BlueLink entirely supports Michel’s engaged and open position, as well as that of the open position that any individual has to vocalize his or her opinion. Freenet has been developed not only as an illustration for Bluelink’s support for individual freedom of speech, but also as a tool to help network and share information regarding the current issues, news and campaigns related to the freedom of speech movements.
The campaign is spreading! Read a blog from UK NGO internet.artizans
