Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Why do so may people on this site have their heads in the sand? The countyside of Bg is very pleasant, and people enjoy themselves there on the snow and mountains. But the people of Bulgaria are spioling it for the very people who could make their lives more afluent in a modest, progresive way. But the people of Bulgria just want to rip us off. it happens, accept it, don't live in denial.

I bought there hoping to make money, but not at the expense of the local population. The foreign money coming into places like Bansko means that shed loads of builders are employed. more cash would flow into shops and restaurants in the area and over time the area would be up and coming, but the area isn't that good by itself, it's not as good as Mayrhofen for boarders, or the Three Valleys for diversity, so it has to have an edge, something to attract people , to compete with.....Good value, lower cost, good accomodation facilities.

If the locals are greedy and rip off the tourists, they will not return.

Based on the inflation in Bansko over the last two years then Bansko by next year will be more expensive to eat and drink in than a lot of other resorts . I can generaly eat out for a more reasonable cost in my home town than is charged in Pirin Street, and with less fear of a scam, and, not fall down a colapsed drain cover on the way home.

Good business is giving good value in the niche market you are working in. I will be returning to see my appartments when they are completed, but i'm not sure that i would if i didn't own there.

Instaed of pretending there is no problem, groups of interested people should act more like a lobby group to try to improve things for all our sakes. Being "negative" can be a very positive approach. Being in denial is deadly. It's not a crime to admit some things are wrong, but it is a moral crime to ignore it.

Corruption does somtimes happen in British town halls, but we deal with it, not live with it.

Please accept the reality........Ian

A copy and paste:-

EU ready to ostracise Bulgaria -report
18:03 Sat 10 May 2008 - Alex Bivol

The European Union has lost faith in the ability of Bulgarian authorities to push ahead with reforms and was considering sanctions, ranging from freezing the 6.7 billion euro worth of structural funding the country is set to receive until 2013 to suspending some of its rights in the bloc, Bulgarian-language Kapital weekly reported on May 10.

Under article 7 of the Treaty of Nice, in case of "a serious and persistent breach of fundamental rights", the Council of the EU may, by a qualified majority of four fifths and co-ordinating with the European Parliament, suspend certain of the rights of the country concerned, including the right to vote in the Council of the EU.

In Bulgaria's case, the fundamental rights being breached would be the rule of law, undermined by Bulgaria's slow progress in reforming its judiciary, as highlighted by the scores of unsolved public murders in recent years, the weekly said.

Although Bulgarian politicians are acting unconcerned, the measure is already being discussed in some European capitals, according to Kapital.

For now, however, financial sanctions appeared more likely, with the idea of freezing structural funding to Bulgaria gaining support across the EU, one German diplomat told the weekly.

Among the countries lobbying most actively for freeze funding until Sofia can prove that the money will end up where it is supposed to, rather than with organised crime, are Britain Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Finland, the same source said.

The EU could do so preventively, even without proven cases of embezzlement, given that the money has only been allocated and is yet to be spent, Kapital said. The European Commission has already frozen funding under all EU pre-accession aid programmes in recent months on suspicions of fraud and embezzlement.

Not only did Bulgaria fail to make sufficient progress with reform, its politicians routinely ignored criticism from Brussels, according to Kapital.

In Romania, the structural problems in government are much worse, but the behaviour of Bulgarian politicians in the EU was exceptionally presumptuous and disrespectful. They believe themselves untouchable and that nothing can happen to them regardless of what they do, which is why Bulgaria will suffer the consequences, not Romania," the weekly quoted one British diplomat as saying.

Well, I would say I see very few top end Greek registered cars - most are very average. the rich greeks are in Austria skiing and bansko takes the poor Greeks from across the border (the poorest area of Greece).

And we know there is corruption everywhere, but that doesn't mean we should accept it. Its such a terrible problem in BG that its really starting to affect the development of the state and country as a whole. The place is never going to get to an EU standard unless this curse is broken and there is no sign of any willingness whatsoever at the moment.

*sigh*

A cut and paste from BG News (link at the bottom)

Bansko received two starts for the Alpine Ski World Cup.
This was announced by the Technical committee of the world ski federation at a Congress in Cape Town (South Africa).

The most progressive mountain resort in Europe will host the slalom for women on February 28 next year and the super giant slalom in ladies again one day later.

Bulgaria's Bansko was preferred before the Italian Tarvisio winter resort.


http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_417786205