News

  GDP growth in Bulgaria in 2007 would reach five to six per cent, State Administration Minister Nikolai Vassilev said. The prediction is based on good economic development and the inflow of foreign investment in the country.

  Vassilev is taking part in International Economic Forum Maritza that started on May 30 in the city of Plovdiv.

  The slogan under which the forum will be carried out this year is Bulgaria in the EU- New Business Opportunities.

  Vassilev said that he disagreed with claims that Romania attracted more foreign investment than Bulgaria. Taking into consideration the population of the two countries, Bulgaria’s foreign investment per person ratio is much higher, Vassilev said. 

   In the Tibetan Mythology and the Buddhist tradition, a mythical and at the same time real world called Shambhala exists. You can enter this universe, which is in another dimension and is always close to us, only if you have clear heart and mind and you are in complete harmony with yourself and the rest of the world. Few months ago Shambhala found its own place in the material world, right here in Bulgaria. Just 130 km east of Sofia at the south foot of the Central part of the Balkan Mountain range in Sopot town. I am talking about the centre for extreme sports “Shambhala”. This is the best thing for the extreme sensation and it was high time, such park to appear in Bulgaria. And when I say “Centre for extreme sports”, I don’t mean one of the improvised equipments, made solely for advertisement for some of the vacation complexes situated nearby. This is a real centre for extreme sports, created for those, who know what it is to take a risk and are completely aware of the responsibility of it.

  Sopot is a favorite site for Paragliders from all over Europe, for a long time, because of the propitious air currents and the big declination – 800m. But what literally detonated the society of extreme adrenalin seekers, was the announcement of the competition for extreme biking in the disciplines “Downhill”, “4Cross”, “Cross Country” 3 – 4 months ago. The official competition was announced for 4 – 5 and 6th of May and these dates were not only kept, but also turned to be very appropriate, not only for the atmosphere conditions, but also for the date 6th May – the day honoring St. George. International participants were also expected, mainly bikers from Russia.

  There was no way for me to miss this significant event in the history of mountain biking in Bulgaria, and together with my friend, also a bicycle fan, we started from Sofia, early in the morning on 4th May. The car was literally squirting, stuffed with our bicycles, spares, equipment, tent, and above all our elevated mood. After an hour and a half we were on the lift station in Sopot, in the camping site. I have visited the site two months earlier, to try the trail which was then in process of construction, but this time when I went out of the car, I was stunned. Organizers of the event were based in several tents, looking like Mongolian yurts. There were many colourful posters and flags around, several paragliders were rambling in the sky, people were pottering around all the time, bulling, assembling and repairing their bicycles and equipment. Me and my mate hurried to sign in for the downhill discipline and to take our numbers. Immediately afterwards we took out our luggage and started working over our bikes, until they got great outlook and in impeccable technical condition. When we were ready with the technical preparation we got on the lift, to start the long expected and very necessary training.

   Nestled in the picturesque, fertile lands, at the foot of the outstanding Osogovo Mountain, Kyustendil city fascinates with its natural beauty and a thousand-year old history.
In ancient times it was known as Pauthalia, later on, in the early antiquity – as Velbujd and finally was renamed Kyustendil, after the name of the local feudal lord Konstantin Dragash.
The road from the capital city of Sofia to Kyustendil is very pleasant, not long (just an hour drive) and definitely picturesque.

  I have never been in Kyustendil before, but I can surely say, that in the middle of the spring season it is simply enchanting. The whole valley is sunk in bright green fresh colour, giving stroke to the tiny white and rose flowers and orchards.
It is a well-known fact, that Kyustendil is an ancient city, which has a rich historical past, but this cannot be truly felt until you stand up in front of some of the millenary ruins, the city hosts. Therefore before check in at the hotel, inspired by the morning coolness of the air, I headed towards Hissarluka Park, where the Medieval Hissarluka Fortress is found. The park is situated in immediate proximity to the city, in the lower parts of the Osogovo Mountain. With its virgin nature and small, cosy restaurants around, he park itself is a wonderful place for walks and relaxation. I was particularly impressed by the nice children’s area, which was attracting not only the kids, but the elderly nature-lovers as well.

  After I enjoyed the bright picture for a while and walked amongst the ancient ruins of the stronghold, I felt so energetic and inspired by the songs of the cheerful birds and the breezy air that I set off for the city in expectation of more pleasant experiences. And, of course, I didn’t get disappointed.

   A property you can buy on your credit card? It is not as improbable as it sounds. Despite surging markets around the world, there are still places where you can pick up something habitable for the price of the average family car.

  Rural Bulgaria is a good place to start. Bulgarian Properties (00 359 2 868 1188, www.bulgarianproperties.com) has a wide range of village houses from just £5,000. But be ready to do some work – and don’t expect an indoor lavatory.

  Other former communist countries are slightly more expensive, but you can buy a country house in Prekmurje, the picturesque wine-growing region of northeast Slovenia, for example, for £17,000 (00 386 41 682614, www.sloveniacottages.com). Or look across the border in Slovakia or Hungary, where £50,000 would buy a house near Lake Balaton, a holiday spot for much of the former communist world (Balaton Properties, 020 7078 7246, www.balatonproperties.co.uk).

   The first extreme sports settlement is under construction in Sopot. It is located in proximity of the first station of the “Nezabravka” ski-lift, only three kilometers away from the exit leading from Sopot to Sofia. Here the first rope city for adults is already complete. At some 100 meters from the city an artificial wall for climbing is being constructed, from whose tower one could come down through a rope line of the “trolley” type. The finish line of the first professional mountain-bike track is just nearby. The track descends for 1380 meters starting almost from the very ridge of Stara Planina.

  At the moment mountain-board equipment is being delivered, the equipment being the same as the one for skate-board, only that the board is actually customized for mountain terrain.

  In case you need adrenaline, don’t hesitate and head for Sopot. A major center of the paraplanerism for several years, soon the city promises to become one of places most visited by extreme emotions.

  Varna-based Bulgarian Properties, part of U.S. investment fund Global Management Ventures, said it has acquired a building in rough construction the center of Vidin, North-western Bulgaria, which will be developed into a mall-type property. The completion of Mall Vidin will cost 6 mln levs. The shopping center should open for business in late 2007.

  Bulgaria and Romania agreed that they need a second bridge across the Danube, signed a contract to construct it seven years ago, but actually started building it only this week.

  'We have been waiting for this bridge for years,' Bulgarian truck driver Nikolay Haylesov says angrily. His comment reflects the view of thousands of his colleagues from across Europe.

  Now drivers wait up to 12 hours to be ferried between Calafat in Romania and Vidin in Bulgaria, a bottleneck on the Pan-European Corridor Four, from Berlin via Vienna to Thessaloniki and Istanbul.

  Yet for many professionals it is still faster and cheaper than the corridor to the west, through Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia, because in Romania and Bulgaria they remain within EU and pass all borders with a single set of documents.

  The only other bridge on the 430-kilometre stretch of the Danube shared by Romania and Bulgaria is at Giurgiu and Ruse, far to the east. 

   “Sveti Kirik and Julita” island – one of the most beautiful places of the whole Black Sea – will soon attract major investor interest and become a tourist attraction. The Municipal Director Lyubomir Panteleev has approved the new status and has sent his official opinion to the Ministry of Defense. From two years on, the local Municipality has been negotiating for the island with the military, since the naval station based there is not active. “In our opinion, a territorial organization project for the whole area is to be prepared firstly, following an international tender” said the Mayor of the Black Sea Municipality Veska Karamanova.

  The project will be offered for public discussion. The locals will decide which project is most appropriate for the territory and the town. After that, the Municipality will search for a major investor for the construction of a tourist complex. This will be done through tenders.

  The Council of Ministers has requested the legal opinion of the Municipal Administration, in order for the property – which is a public state property - to be delivered and managed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Urban Planning.

  Not later than one month from the date of the estate submission, the Minister of Regional Development is to announce an international competition for the development of volumetric-structural surveys. This is to be done in compliance with the Law on Public Orders, and in coordination with the Minister of Transport, the Minister of Culture, and the Management of Sozopol Municipality. Then, the borders of the military base are to be determined, as well as its statute by under the Sea Spaces Law.

Over the past few years, property supply has exceeded demand in Bulgaria’s leading resorts.

The vacation property market is reaching its saturation point and a number of resorts already suffer from over-construction and the lack of proper infrastructure, participants in the first Balkan real estate conference BalRec said.

In order to attract new clients, resorts should start offering unique projects and better infrastructure condition, investor.bg reported.

 The construction permit taxes in Bulgaria’s capital will increase gradually, Sofia’s chief architect Petar Dikov said.

The process will probably start in the coming year, Dikov said during the first Balkan real estate conference BalRec.

Sofia can accumulate the funds needed for infrastructure development only through tax increase, Dikov said.