An agreement has been reached to complete the Struma Motorway without damaging the Kresna Gorge.

The complaints have been withdrawn and the respective court proceedings, which challenged the legality of the construction of the last unfinished section of the Struma Motorway through the Kresna Gorge, have been terminated. The agreement reached between the Road Infrastructure Agency, the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water in Blagoevgrad, and the environmental organizations is the result of an active and fruitful dialogue, joint efforts, and constructive cooperation.

The goal is the permanent and complete diversion of transit traffic outside the Kresna Gorge, which is of crucial importance for the preservation of the European wild flora, fauna, and natural habitats in the area. The agreements outline the specific commitments of each party, ensuring real progress in the implementation of the project.

The Kresna Gorge is part of the European NATURA 2000 network of protected areas, with vulnerable species and habitats that are threatened by infrastructure projects. The completion of the Struma Motorway with the diversion of transit traffic from the gorge plays a key role in their preservation.

The construction of the Struma Motorway in the section through the Kresna Gorge is in the focus of the Bern Convention, and the Standing Committee of the Convention annually reviews the case and has recommended that the Bulgarian authorities seek technical solutions for a route passing outside the gorge.

In implementation of the decision of the Standing Committee, the Council of Ministers has adopted a roadmap for the completion of the Struma Motorway, including the preparation of documentation for a public procurement procedure for the study of a route outside the Kresna Gorge, in accordance with environmental standards. At the moment, the Bypass of the town of Kresna is being implemented with priority, and the remaining sections are being designed, and the Detailed Spatial Plan for the left lane of the Struma Motorway in the direction Kulata - Sofia has been updated.