http://www.maxconsult.bg News of maxconsult.bg http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Unseasonable-Snow-Causes-Troubles-Across-Bulgaria/5743/ Heavy snowfall on Monday and Tuesday, in combination with strong wind and snow drifts at places have caused serious troubles to transport and power supply in many parts of the country.The snow cover was thickest in Smolyan in the south (70-80 cm). It is 37 cm in Haskovo in the Southeast, and some 32 cm in Vratsa and Montana in the Northwest and Kyustendil in the Southwest, reported the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. Sofia had 21 cm and Plovdiv 28 cm.The snowfall has already stopped in some parts, first in the West but fresh snow is expected on Wednesday.The roads across the country are wet and some have snow, said the Road Infrastricture Agency. The Bourgas-Karnobat section of Trakia Motorway is closed to traffic in both directions, as is Hemus Motorway. Most mountain passes are closed for trucks with attachments and all vehicles are required to use anti-skid chains. The roads to four villages in the Northeastern Shoumen region are under snow and unusuable.Varna Airport said it had had to cancel its flight to Sofia because of the snow and wind. Varna Port is closed for all vessels. Three municipalities in Varna Region declared a state of emergency. Schools in Varna will remain closed Tuesday afternoon, City Hall said.The border crossing at Zlatograd, on the border with Greece, was closed on Tuesday morning because snow was not ploughed on the Greek side, said the Interior Ministry.A gale-force wind of 16/mps built deep snow drifts in the Northeastern Dobrich region. 48 villages in this part of the country are without electricity. Power supply has also been disturbed in eight villages near Ivaylovgrad in the Southeast since Monday evening. 30 villages in the Southern region of Yambol have had their water supply cut off by the adverse weather. A state of emergency on the territory of the municipality has been decaled by an order of Haskovo Mayor Georgi Ivanov, the local administration said.In the Southern region of Kurdjali the snow is up to 50 cm deep at places. A total of 30 settlements in Kroumovgrad municipality and four in Kurdjali municipality are without electricity supply.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Save-On-Bankso-Chalets-This-Easter/5739/ Bansko\'s Chalet Soltir is largely booked up this winter but still has the fortnight before and after Easter available and is offering a 10-percent discount. Customers must mention ‘Bansko Tourist Information\' at the time of booking.Available dates are March 27 to April 3 and April 3 to 10. Prices are £204 per person for the week of March 27 or £240 per person for the week of April 3.All prices are based on a fully catered stay with wine, plus airport transfers, shuttle to the gondola or mountain top, Nintendo Wii, DVD\'S and books in the chalet, and a one-day mountain hosting.Bansko town is blessed with a mild climate and yet the season is long up on the slopes where you can expect to have crisp snow on the pistes until early May. Recent investment in snow making equipment has made the resort even more confident in claiming to have a truly long ski season right through to April.Èçòî÷íèê: Investor.bgêúì ñòàòèÿòà http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Vitosha-freestyle/5733/ Each season we read of skiers or snowboarders who sadly perish while drifting away from designated slopes in search of that elusive extra thrill. More often than not, they are experienced professionals. There were half a dozen such fatalities this year in Bansko alone, and although I understand their motivation, I will never endorse it, at least not publicly. Yet there are ways to enjoy the mountain and skiing without having to limit yourself to the same slope and pay a ridiculous fee that does not match the service provided.Maybe it’s just an unfortunate twist of circumstances, or simply bad luck, but in most cases over the past two years when I went to Vitosha, I ended up paying 35 leva for the all-inclusive day pass only to be told that due to poor weather conditions, or otherwise, most facilities were closed apart from the lower Lale. So in the end you are left with no alternative but to ski there all day long and, let’s face it, Laleto is a decent run but it’s short and tedious. Once you get bored of it – and you inevitably do after a couple of hours – you are left with no alternative but to continue skiing there until you reach mind-boggling stupor.There are ways of beating the system, saving money, and having a cracker – if you have a little adventurous spirit and are willing to experiment. Most importantly, I assure anyone reading this that as far as avalanches are concerned, the route is 100 per cent safe. There are still five or so weeks of skiing left on the books and, weather permitting, you may attempt it. The plan is simple: get to Cherni Vruh – Vitosha’s tallest summit at 2290m - and once at the top, ski down until you reach civilisation, a journey that may take a full day. There are several such routes and the safest and most popular one will be outlined here.Reach Aleko ski complex with the 66 bus from Hladilnika borough in Sofia that costs four leva, or the Simenovo gondola which will set you back a tenner. Once up on the mountain, you may take a single ticket with the Romanski chair lift (a service unavailable last year) and scale Cherni Vruh, requiring a 30-minute climb. Better yet, if you fancy a true workout, attempt scaling it from Aleko up through the Stenata slope (the Wall) for about two-and-a-half hours with full kit, bergen and skis on your back. Reaching the weather observatory station up on the top will provide you with a breathtaking view of Rila Mountains and Stara Planina as well as the murk that is Sofia below.Although refreshments - coffee, tea and warm food - are available at the summit, you are going to ski through half of the mountain later on, so take a thermos with tea, food for a full day, water, spare shirts and socks (you will sweat bullets on the way up). When ready to leave, stick to the winter markings (four metre poles painted in yellow and black) leading to the plateau. The aforementioned should be negotiated inside an hour - a bit of downhill and then a bit of cross country. The slope is gentle, the scenery is breathtaking, there is zero possibility of you launching an avalanche – even if you attempted it – and the experience is cathartic. You will then reach a derelict and abandoned ski complex called Konyarnika.Konyarnika is on the border between the Alpine zone and the treeline. Thereafter you ski on a three-metre wide alley sloping gently through the thick pine forest until you reach Vetrovala 45 minutes further down. It is mostly downhill but there are the odd 100-metre flat sections where a bit of pushing will be necessary. In two-and-a-half hours (at regular pace) you should have reached the Vetrovala complex where a pit stop is well advised. In good winter, you should be able to follow the forest paths and ski down to Zlatnite Mostove, then proceed to Knyajevo either from Malinazha (the junction is just over the Zlatnite branching left from the main road on the way to Momina Skala) or take the ski road from Elenite and head down via Byalata Voda. This full trip is great but only possible if there is enough snow – a 10-plus cm cover in Sofia is a good sign that it’s feasible.Apart from doing something different, it is also about pure maths. Regardless how good a skier you think you are, you cannot ski on Laleto more than 16 times from 9.30am until 4pm. The 15-minute journey with the chair lift after every descent and the the long queue means that for every 20 minutes of waiting, you ski for just two minutes. If you can ski down Laleto three times in an hour, that means you have actually skied for six minutes. In a full day, you end up skiing about 50 minutes and for that you pay 35 leva.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news//5729/ A couple face losing hundreds of thousands of pounds after investing in a Bulgarian ski resort.Sharon and Paul Hassall, from Horsham, are one of about 70 families who accuse a property firm of illegally taking possession of the All-Seasons holiday complex in the ski resort of Bansko.The pair paid £200,000 for two flats through Rockarch Estates in London but say they and the other families have been denied entry to the building and even arrested.Rockarch, which helps British investors buy properties in Bulgaria, alleges a former business partner secretly sold 29 flats, a restaurant, swimming pool, spa, conference hall and 30 parking spaces to Bulgarian firm Zekom for a fraction of their real value.The company denies wrongdoing but a Bulgarian judge is expected to rule on the case this week.The couple bought the properties off plan in 2006 and were hoping to enjoy family holidays with their four children when their building was completed in the summer of 2008.But instead the family have been constantly frustrated by a lack of cooperation from Zekom and the Bulgarian authorities. read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Heightened-avalanche-threat-on-mountains:-rescue-service/5724/ The avalanche threat on mountains in Bulgaria is very high, the Mountain Rescue Service at the Bulgarian Red Cross told FOCUS News Agency.The weather conditions are favorable for tourism. No incidents involving tourists have been reported. It is foggy and windy at the peak of Cherni Vrah in the Vitosha mountain range. The temperature is 8°C below zero. There is a heightened avalanche and frostbite threat.The temperature at the peak of Musala in the Rila mountain range is minus 11°C. Moderate wind is blowing.There is a high threat of avalanches in the areas that are off-limits in Bansko resort.The temperature at the peaks of Rozhen and Snezhanka in the Rhodope mountain range is minus 5°C and plus 1°C respectively. read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Skiing-in-Chepelare:-it’s-possible/5720/ The fight for every customer has become intense in the tourism industry worldwide and Bulgaria is no exception, especially in winter. As in previous years, the leading winter destination continues to be Bansko in Pirin Mountain, but other places, such as the small town of Chepelare in the Rhodope Mountains, are also competing for visitors by offering similar services at lower prices.Bansko still leads the field, thanks to canny publicity, modern ski facilities and well-maintained ski runs. In times of economic crisis, however, price usually has the final say and here Chepelare has a lot to offer. Chepelare has one virtue that distinguishes it from all of Bulgaria’s so-called resort towns.It is not trying to sell more than it offers. In other words, the city and its municipality have dedicated a great deal of effort over the past 15 years in developing an image as a family destination. Apart from one big apartment complex, all of the town’s hotels are small family-run businesses with nothing more than a room with cable TV at prices ranging between 30 and 50 leva a person. These are usually humble three to four-storey buildings, nothing like the big and lavish constructions now dominating Bansko.Although the large resort of Pamporovo is just a few kilometres up the hill, the town and its people prefer to distance themselves from the brouhaha. Most of Chepelare’s hotels are in the newer part of the town but this has in no way undermined the atmosphere. In fact, passing through, only the numerous signs on the main road advertising the hotels would suggest that this town is out to catch tourists. After 8pm, the town’s main pedestrian street is practically empty with just one or two coffee shops and bars open. The town currently has two nightclubs but they only work on Fridays and Saturdays and are usually half-empty. Few local people are interested in their town’s nightlife and, when pressed, can seldom suggest a place for a late night drink. In terms of taverns the town has a wider choice but again a word from the locals is advisable if you have never been to Chepelare. Fortunately, travelling from one part of the town to the other takes no more than 30 minutes.And if word of mouth is a good guide, the Kostovski Han tavern’s owners must be happy because most locals point it out as a place to have dinner. It is a few metres up on the road from the Rodopski Dom apartment hotel, more or less the only luxury hotel in the town, with a small swimming pool and other spa and wellness procedures.It also houses one of the town’s nightclubs in Chepelare. The other one is in the central Chepelare hotel on the town’s square. Like most taverns and small restaurants in the town, the Kostovski Han is part of a family hotel under the same name but it is open to all visitors. It is wide and spacious given that it has two floors. The interior has everything one would expect to find in a traditional Bulgarian tavern: wooden floors and benches, tables and red tablecloths. Local cuisine is well represented with the inevitable patatnik (pancake of potatoes).The other option is the shop next to the communist-era hotel building in the centre, the only food store working non-stop in the town. Everywhere prices are what one would expect in your local pub or store. This also fits in with Chepelare’s profile as a family-friendly, low-cost tourist destination.A winter resort, however, is more about skiing than going out at night and in this respect Chepelare tries to offer value for money. Despite its closeness to Pamporovo and its slopes, Chepelare started developing its own ski centre decades ago in the Mechi Chal area just above the town.Although the ski centre there has been in use for years, it got its real development push in the past five or so years when the city hall, together with local businessmen, decided to invest in new lift facilities, better maintenance equipment and parking facilities and, most of all, expanding the number of ski runs. Now the centre has something to offer those accustomed to the slopes in Bansko, Pamporovo or Borovets.One of its main benefits is easy access, straight from the road, a few metres from the Chepelare sign on the road to Pamporovo. The parking facility is big enough to accommodate dozens of vehicles and is free. Most hotels offer transport to and from the ski run as part of their accommodation. There are several ski renting shops where one can get full skiing or snowboard equipment for 57 and 62 leva, respectively, which also includes a daily lift pass. By comparison, the daily ski pass in Bansko alone is 50 leva. A daily pass in Mechi Chal without renting ski equipment costs 38 leva. It takes about 12 minutes to get to the top on the four-seater lift.There is one main ski run going all the way down. Beginners may find it difficult because it has a few extremely steep sections. The ski run is cut in several places making it possible to choose one’s route and avoid getting bored with the ski run. Beginners, however, will not be disappointed because the Mechi Chal’s green ski run is probably one of the best slopes for beginners. It is narrow and yet fast enough to save you the effort of pushing. It is not recommended, however, to snowboarders.A good skier will need 12 minutes to go down on the green ski run which means that beginners might need 20 minutes to come down. It is perfect for practising skills and taking rests to enjoy the scenery.Another of Mechi Chal’s assets is that its slopes hardly get crowded, unlike those of Bansko or Borovets. The only problem is that, after a day or two of skiing, experienced skiers might get bored with the same run. Although it has plenty of crossing sections, it is in effect one and the same track. This more or less defines Mechi Chal as a place to go just for the weekend, unlike the rich variety of ski runs in Bansko or nearby Pamporovo.Another negative is that the ski runs are not always kept in the best condition. It seems that local management wants to avoid spending too much money by having the snowcats (carefully parked next to the lift) operate just once in the morning. The result is that by midday, especially when snow is falling, skiers form one narrow section in the middle of the ski run, with the area outside it unsuitable for skiing.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Man-buried-under-avalanche-in-Bansko-skiing-in-area-that-is-off-limits/5710/ The man buried under an avalanche in Bansko resort was skiing in an area that is off-limits, Bansko Mayor Alexander Kravarov told FOCUS News Agency.He added the 22-year-old man had caused a big avalanche and died on the spot.After the recent heavy snowfall and warm snap the avalanche threat is heightened and tourists must avoid skiing in areas that are off-limits, he warned.This is the fourth death case on the ski runs in Bansko this year. Three of them happened in areas that are off-limits.Vesela BARAMOVAread more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/No-speed-sweep:-Lindsey-Vonn-settles-for-bronze-behind-Fischbacher-and-Maze-in-super-G/5706/ WHISTLER, B.C. — Andrea Fischbacher got Austria\'s "Wunderteam" back on track by winning gold in the Olympic super-G Saturday, denying Lindsey Vonn a sweep of the speed events.Taking advantage of a tricky course-set arranged by one of her coaches, Fischbacher navigated her way down Franz\'s Run in one minute 20.14 seconds."It was really crazy," Fischbacher said. "It was a really straight course and you had to push from start to finish."Tina Maze of Slovenia took a surprise silver, 0.49 second behind, and Vonn had to settle for bronze, 0.74 second back.Britt Janyk of Whistler was the top Canadian. She finished 17th, 2.75 seconds behind the winner, but also supplied one of the days more exciting moments.During her race Janyk almost fell. Her bottom was close to dragging on the snow before she managed to pull herself back on her skis and finish the run."At least I put on a good show," said Janyk, who finished in 1:22.89. "As soon as I recovered and realized I was on my feet I just wanted to get back into and keep racing hard. I felt just a little shaky on my skis."I\'m frustrated and disappointed I didn\'t walk away with a medal. I know I could be there. I also know it\'s not easy."Veteran Emily Brydon, skiing her last Olympic race, fell about half way down the course."I think I just took part in a train wreck," said the Fernie, B.C., native who was battered and limping after the fall. "I\'m one giant walking bruise."I won\'t forget that one. It\'s definitely not what I had hoped."Georgia Simmerling of West Vancouver, B.C., finished 27th in 1:25.21. Shona Rubens of Canmore, Alta., had one of the fastest early split times but fell.While many of the pre-race favourites struggled with a sharp right turn midway down, Vonn made it through that section without a problem. But then she lost nearly half a second on the bottom section of the course."Once I got past those difficult sections, I kind of backed off the gas pedal," Vonn said. "I felt like I just didn\'t ski as aggressively as I could have, and I think that\'s where I lost the race."Vonn celebrated as if she had won, raising her arms in triumph, then was relaying a course report via a two-way radio up to her teammates still at the start when Fischbacher beat her.Fischbacher looked like she didn\'t believe it when she glanced at the scoreboard upon crossing the line, backing into the safety mattresses lining the finish area and nearly falling over.Vonn, who lives and trains in Vail, Colo., won gold in the downhill to open her Olympics and then wiped out in the slalom leg of the super-combined. Depending on how her bruised right shin holds up, the American still has two events remaining at the Vancouver Games - giant slalom and slalom.Vonn started 17th, Fischbacher skied 19th and Maze was 22nd out of the starting gate. With the race beginning at 10 a.m. PST, most of the course was covered with shade for the earlier starters, while later skiers had better visibility.Johanna Schnarf of Italy finished fourth and Elisabeth Goergl of Austria fifth. Super-combined winner Maria Riesch of Germany was eighth and Swedish standout Anja Paerson was 11th.Julia Mancuso, the American who won silver medals in her opening two events, almost went off course on that hard right turn, and finished ninth. The Squaw Valley, Calif., resident was the first skier on the course and had no reference points to look to as a guide for the most treacherous spots."The course up top was a lot faster than I expected," Mancuso said. "I was just carrying more speed than I anticipated into that turn. I knew when I crossed the line ... that I blew it."Still, with five events remaining, the United States already has collected its most Alpine medals - seven - at a single Winter Games, topping the five at Sarajevo in 1984.It\'s the first Alpine victory at these games for Austria, which entered the race with only Goergl\'s downhill bronze. At the 2006 Turin Games, Austria won 14 medals - four of them gold.Fischbacher was reduced to tears after placing fourth in the downhill, finishing only three-hundredths of a second behind Goergl."At first I was really sad," Fischbacher said. "Then I was just saying, \'OK, maybe I make it in the super-G."\'Fischbacher\'s coach, Juergen Kriechbaum, set the super-G course according to International Ski Federation rules that rotate the job to correspond with the higher-ranked super-G skiers.While Vonn has already wrapped up the season-long World Cup super-G title by winning three of the five races held so far, Fischbacher stands third in the event standings.Fischbacher won bronze behind Vonn and Marie-Marchand Arvier of France in the super-G at last season\'s world championships in Val d\'Isere, France. The Austrian also finished second behind Vonn in the last super-G before the Olympics, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Jan. 31.Fischbacher has won two World Cup races in her career, one super-G and one downhill - the last coming almost exactly a year ago in Bansko, Bulgaria.While she swept gold in downhill and super-G at last season\'s worlds, Vonn doesn\'t always dominate in super-G like she does in downhill. She went more than two years between January 2007 and February 2009 without a super-G victory before winning the final four races of last season. She also had some minor problems at the beginning of this season, finishing second and third in the opening two super-G\'s.Super-G is often tougher than downhill because there are no training runs. Skiers are allowed only to slowly slip down and inspect the course the morning of the race. Having the right equipment can also be more uncertain than in downhill, because there are fewer chances to test things out.Maze won a silver medal in giant slalom at last season\'s worlds and was fifth in super-combined Thursday. She has won eight World Cup races in her career but none in super-G, with her best finish in the event second at a World Cup race in St. Moritz three seasons ago.Maze was pleased to finish in front of Vonn."She\'s always first in World Cup and she\'s always leading and it\'s kind of annoying to be at start knowing she\'ll probably be first," Maze said. "But everything can happen and she\'s human, too."Eight of the first 30 skiers failed to finish their runs, many of them going out on that tricky right turn about 45 seconds in.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria:-Vacation-Properties-Market-Stirs-in-Bansko,-at-a-Standstill-in-Borovets-and-Pamporovo/5695/ The market for vacation properties is starting to stir in Bansko, where real estate prices fell by more than a half in a year, but remains at a standstill in Bulgaria’s other main winter resorts of Borovets and Pamporovo, where there are no buyers.The main reason for the interest in Bansko is that, as the country’s largest and most modern resort, is that it is more popular than the other two, the Dnevnik newspaper pointed out in a recent publication that cited the newspaper’s survey among real estate agencies.Other factors that Benefit Bansko is that it hosts competitions for the World and European Cups in Alpine skiing, as well as its efforts to become a jazz destination in the summer, the publication noted.The price of apartments in Bansko fell by nearly 50 per cent in over a year, according to the Bulgarian Properties real estate company.This year, the average value of the real estate deals made in Bankso is between 650 and 700 euro per square metre, Polina Stoykova, oprations manager of Bulgarian Properties told the publication. In comparison, property prices in Bansko ranged between 1,200 and 1,600 euro per square metre at the beginning of 2009.In Pamporovo, property prices range between 500 euro per square metre for unfurnished apartments to 1,000 euro per square metre for luxurious home, but – according to Stoykova, there are hardly any sales being realised.In Borovets – Bulgaria’s third main winter resort, prices have not dropped from their pre-crisis levels and offers range between 1,200 and 1,500 euro per square metre but hardly any real estate deals get realised. Brokers explain the high real estate prices in Borovets with the resort’s proximity to the capital Sofia.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria’s-Bansko-Winter-Resort-Celebrates-Traditional-Food-and-Wine/5684/ Bulgaria’s Bansko Winter Resort Celebrates Traditional Food and WineBalkanTravellers.com 11 February 2010 | In addition to its ski slopes, Bulgaria’s largest winter resort – Bansko, is also known for its heavy food and red wine. This Friday, visitors and guests of the resort will be able to sample its traditional mezes, or appetizers, and wine, the municipality announced.Under the motto “Sea, Hear and Taste,” the traditional celebration, now in its third year, will take place at 5:30pm at Bankso’s central square. In addition to sampling the Bansko dishes, guests will be entertained by a folklore programme.Those in the dark may find Bansko’s food and wine specialties a tad heavy – according to a joke, meat in the Pirin Mounatin town is usually served with a side of meat, but connoisseurs know and appreciate the joy of some red wine and a hearty meat dish, especially when consumed in front of a fireplace after a day spent skiing on the slopes.In addition to their ingredients, the Bankso dishes are also known for their peculiar names, such as starets, meaning \'old man\', which refers to a kind of thick sausage, or karvavista, the name of a blood sausage.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Ivan-Obreykov:-There-are-ski-teachers,-offering-skiing-in-dangerous-chutes/5676/ Ivan Obreykov: There are ski teachers, offering skiing in dangerous chutes6 February 2010 | 18:49 | FOCUS News AgencySofia. Avalanche is not something one can make joke with it. Everyone thinks “this would not happen to me”. This is what Ivan Obreykov, marketing director of the ski center Bansko told FOCUS News Agency.According to him all skiers’ recent incidents have occurred many to well-trained people. "You can survive an avalanche itself, but if you get an injury is very frustrating," Obreykov said. He expressed the opinion that there are teachers who offer skiing in dangerous chutes.Obreykov said that the fatal incident with the ski teacher, he had been very well equipped - with a device for detecting in an avalanche with a special breathing apparatus under the avalanche. "Nobody can foresee the situation he will fall," Obreykov commented.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Danail-Angelov:-We-do-not-play-“Russian-roulette”-with-avalanches/5672/ Do extreme skiers observe warnings about the danger of avalanches? Do they realize the risk when skiing outside the marked zones? Is the establishment of controlled free ride zones a resolution? Member of the Bulgarian Extreme and Freestyle Ski Association (BEFSA) Danail Angelov answers those and other issues in an interview to FOCUS News Agency.Focus: Mrs Angelov, in the view to the last tragic incidents in the mountains can people be ordered to go skiing in the marked tracks only?Danail Angelov: This cannot happen. The history and the attempt of the people in the world, who surpass us, prove it. A rescuer, a friend of ours, said the English queen have forbidden her people to do alpinism because lots of them have died. However, the first people to climb Everest were English. This cannot be forbidden. The idea is the reason for that is not searched. Noting can be reached by imposing bans.Focus: How the analysis of the tragic incidents can help?Danail Angelov: A common discussion between the parks, resorts (concessioners), the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) and the people like us, who are practicing extreme skiing or snowboard outside the marked zones, should be held. Big part of us has enough knowledge about the avalanches, rescuing, where and when to go skiing. The incident in Bansko winter resort was with a rescuer. The matter is point is he, knowing about the danger, has hot allowed the other four people to go skiing outside the marked zone and they are alive. A common discussion is needed, as well as putting marks, signs at the right place. The signs “Attention! Avalanche danger!” do not work down but up in the mountain.Focus: Do extreme skiers observe warnings of the Mountain Rescue Service for danger of avalanches?Danail Angelov: Of course. I cannot speak at the behalf of everyone but at the behalf of people who are doing extreme skiing. They certainly have the knowledge and know when and where to go out of the marked tracks. I have gone skiing outside Bulgaria several times. Free ride zones have been established everywhere. People are observing the danger. For example, no one goes skiing at Vitosha Mountain. People who do not have enough knowledge should not be allowed skiing at the free ride zones.Focus: Your colleagues have made statements, the warnings of the Mountain Rescue Service for highest danger of avalanches are made every day during the whole season. Do people realize the problem? The Mountain Rescue Service noted the people who are doing extreme sports are risking the lives of the rescuers.Danail Angelov: I have read that statement. We cannot be an excerpt for all people. We are co-operating successfully with the Mountain Rescue Service. We are reading lectures on danger of avalanches together. The thing is not to forbid but to teach people about the real danger. Young people are the one who do not observe the recommendations of the Mountain Rescue Service. But what is said for us-we are doped or we play Russian roulette are sheer nonsenses.Focus: Do the MRS and the associations as yours co-operate for the organization of the courses?Danail Angelov: This is what we do. The question is that when the incident happens people start thinking not soberly and are searching for someone to blame and to punish immediately. In this case the whole society is guilty-all people who go to the mountain and do alpinism and other risk sports. The society is guilty because it does not have elementary culture-people do nor know the mountain, there are no bulletins for avalanches; there is no even a machinery to shot at the slopes to take down the dangerous avalanches, which can fall over people any moment.Focus: Is the establishment of free ride zones a resolution of the problem and who will control them?Danail Angelov: This is the only resolution. These zones are usually near the resorts and should be controlled by the Mountain Rescue Services and the resort. We, like all who wants to go there are paying to the resorts to use the equipment. We ski along and outside the tracks. This sport is very popular and cannot be stopped.Focus: Chairman of the Bulgarian Red Cross Hristo Grigorov proposed a ski police to secure reasonable skiing and to have the right to issue acts, to be established. Do you support this idea?Danail Angelov: I do if it is coordinated with all attendants in the movement.Focus: Do special companies organize such extreme down-hill races? Do you know if all of them have licenses?Danail Angelov: I do not know whether the companies have licenses and what the activities of the tourist companies are. There is a Bansko extreme section at the web page of “Bansko ski”, which is obviously made by the concessioners in Bansko winter resort. There is information about helicopters, skiing out of the marked zones and free ride zones. So there are double standards-rules are not for everyone.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria-Feels-Effects-of-Rain,-Snow/5666/ lmost the entire territory of Bulgaria is affected by snow or rain. Mountain passes are closed, and there is a danger of avalanches in the mountains.It is raining in the regions of Shumen, Dobrich, Varna and Burgas The Hemus and Trakia highways are wet and snowy, with some icy patches in exposed areas such as viaducts. The roads have been cleared and sanded.The mountain pass from Troyan - Karnare - Elena is closed, with a diversion in operation through Vratnik pass, as is the road between Etropole - Zlatica and Varbitsa - Sungurlare.Trucks with trailers or over 10 tons are banned on the Shipka pass. Similar prohibitions have been applied to the Petrohan pass, the road between Sliven and Ichera, and in the areas of Dospat and Ardino. All vehicles travelling in these areas should be fitted with snow chains.The Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Service has announced there is a high risk of avalanches in all mountain areas, and that skiing or snowboarding outside designated areas is dangerous.At Aleko Hut, the depth of snow is 70 cm. Mount Musala is covered by cloud, and there is a moderate wind. In Borovets, the snow cover is 55 cm.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria’s-greatest-love-story/5668/ All love stories are great, but some are greater than others.This was confirmed by the results of a vote on Bulgarian National Television (BNT) in January. Over several days, Bulgarians were asked to choose the greatest love story of their country as part of BNT’s campaign to identify the main Bulgarian events of the 20th century in a number of categories. After choosing the greatest political, sport, scientific, cultural and military events, it was time for Bulgarians to pick Bulgaria’s greatest love story.When the result was announced on January 22, Bulgarians’ choice turned out to be the romance that poet Nikola Vaptsarov shared with his wife Boika Vaptsarova. Their story won 31.67 per cent of the votes, beating the other nine entries. Indeed, the story of Nikola Vaptsarov is worth being immortalised in a film, as it contains not just great affection and romance, but also great suffering, separation, prison and death by firing squad. Add to this the fact that Vaptsarov has long been recognised as one of Bulgaria’s greatest poets whose final words to his wife, while waiting for the firing squad, make up probably the best-known Bulgarian love poem, and the outcome of the vote was little surprise. From the moment the couple met in 1932, until Vaptsarov’s death on July 23 1942, the couple went through heavy losses and challenges, including the loss of their seven-month-old son. For all this, their love grew stronger. The fact that Vaptsarov was sentenced to death as a communist also contributed to his fame in the times when Bulgaria was a communist state as his work and life were made part of the school curriculum.His story starts in 1909, the year he was born in the small mountain town of Bansko (now Bulgaria’s most famous ski resort). Today the house Vaptsarov grew up in is a museum and is a landmark on Bansko’s main square.His mother was Protestant, which became an important factor in Vaptsarov’s relationship with his future wife Boika. When they decided to get married in 1934, he had to convert to Orthodox Christianity, because at the time the only institution which could legally marry people was the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. As a young man, Vaptsarov worked in a number of factories after graduating as a machine engineer from the Naval Machinery School in Varna (which was in 1949 named after him). After his graduation, Vaptsarov’s wish was to pursue a career in literature, but the poor financial state of his family left him no option but to be a proletarian factory worker.After losing his job because of his proletarian ideas, Vaptsarov and his wife were faced with hunger and privation, and it was at this time that their young child died. Conditions in the flour mill factory where he had found a job were so appalling that several workers, including one of Vaptsarov’s close friends, died of tuberculosis, before Vaptsarov himself fell ill and was forced to leave his job.In 1940 he published his only book of poems, called Motoring Verses, which did not attract much attention, mainly because of the political tension at a time when Bulgaria had sided with Nazi Germany. Politics was the reason for Vaptsarov’s first arrest in 1940, when he spent a year in custody because he had been gathering signatures in support of the Soviet Union’s offer to Bulgaria to sign a pact of friendship.After being released in September 1941, Vaptsarov’s political activity intensified, sealing his doom. In March 1942, he was arrested on charges of underground communist activities and actions against the then government of King Boris III and against the German troops stationed in Bulgaria. On July 23 1942, Vaptsarov was sentenced to death by firing squad, and was shot the very same night. This left him time only to write a short poem on a piece of paper, addressed to his wife, which became his most famous work.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria’s-Bansko-Winter-Resorts-Attracts-Tourists-from-Macedonia-en-Masse/5662/ Bulgaria’s biggest winter resort of Bansko is becoming a favourite among Macedonians, who flocked their en masse this year, Macedonian media reported today.Bansko was “boiling” with Macedonians around New Year’s and during the school holidays, the Utrinski Vesnik reported today, explaining the rush with the lack of snow at Macedonia’s ski resorts and the recent visa liberalisation.Despite the lack of snow during a part of the peak season, the Bulgarian resort attracted visitors from Macedonia – including business, music and political personalities, with a combination of spa centres, good food, entertainment and relatively low and flexible prices, the publication noted.In addition to the variety of ski pistes, the highest of which starts at 2,600 metres above sea level, another of Bansko’s attractions is golf. The publication mentions the Pirin Golf Club, a residential complex built on 150 hectares, which is still being completed, and has the ambition of becoming the best golf centre in South-eastern Europe.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Mountain-Rescue-Service-operations-on-the-rise/5658/ The number of the search operations carried out by the Mountain Rescue Service outside the ski runs is rising. The number of the incidents on the ski runs is going up, too, Kiril Rusev, director of the Mountain Rescue Service at the Bulgarian Red Cross, says in an interview with FOCUS News Agency.In the past week alone the rescue service conducted 10 operations outside the ski runs in Bansko resort.“Some of the operations take place by night, others in gullies. In the autumn we carried out many search operations in the Stara Planina mountain range.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Latest-Snowfall-in-Bulgaria/5654/ The heaviest snowfall was registered last night in the Vratsa region in Bulgaria.Ski slope Parshevitsa is opened for all ski lovers for Thursday and Friday mornings, and all day long during the Saturday and Sundays.Moderate snowfall is expected in the mountains during the next few days. A new fresh snow in the bigger resorts as Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo is expected by the end of the week.The lower slopes in Borovets are opened again and offer perfect snow cover due to the fresh snow from yesterday. read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/162-TIR-trucks-waiting-on-Kulata-checkpoint/5649/ Petrich. 160 TIR trucks are waiting along Kulata border checkpoint, Radio FOCUS Pirin correspondent informs. Police presence is stepped up in the area over the coming meeting between representatives of the Bulgarian Business Association and the protesting Greek farmers. Director of the Regional Police Directorate-Blagoevgrad Commissary Konstantin Tityanov and the deputy district governor of the town of Blagoevgrad Georgi Bahanov have also arrived on the border.Tourist business in Bansko winter resort is loosing EUR 200 thousand per day, chairperson of the tourist association in the town Yuliana Hristova said.She noted they are on the border to express their disagreement with the blockage on Kulata-Promachonas border. read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/UK-citizens-in-Pamporovo-not-lost,-but-lost-in-translation/5645/ The two British women, who were reported "lost" in the Bulgarian ski resort of Pamporovo earlier on January 31 2010 near the Stoykite slope, are alive and well, the Interior Ministry Regional police directorate in Smolyan said, as reported by Bulgarian media.According to police spokesperson, Dobrina Angelieva, initial reports of "lost tourists" were inaccurate. The English family, which owns property in the Stoykite village, contacted the 112 emergency hotline, wanting to report that a member of the family felt ill. In order to "help" guide the ambulance to their house, however, the woman mentioned in the phone conversation that the house was near to the Stoykite ski lift. Once the ambulance arrived at the ski lift, however, a distress signal was sent saying the woman was "missing".The resulting misunderstanding was attributed to "the language barrier".Bulgarian media reported earlier on January 31 that two British citizens went missing near the Stroikite slopes in Bulgaria’s ski resort of Pamporovo, and as a consequence, a Mountain Rescue Service (PSS) based in Smolyan was sent to the area.Meanwhile a parallel rescue operation was started below the summit of Botev (2376m) where two mountaineers were reported on January 30 as missing in a steep ravine. The area is an avalanche high-risk zone. Additionally fresh snowfall has started in the central Stara Planina mountains range, which was further hindering the rescue operation.Reportedly, one mountaineer had a broken arm, and the other a broken leg. A nine-strong Mountain Rescue patrol consisting of paramedics and alpine climbers was on site. Eight more rescuers were on their way from Lovech and Sopot.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Vonn\s-dominating-downhill-season-leaves-rivals-hoping-mistakes-can-trip-her-up/5637/ ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — The coach of Switzerland\'s women\'s ski team thinks that Lindsey Vonn is skiing so well, the only way to beat her is if the American makes a mistake."Lindsey can only be beaten by herself," Ansermoz told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "She needs to make a mistake or she needs to doubt something."Vonn, who has eight wins to lead the overall World Cup standings, puts her record on the line Saturday at the last downhill before the Feb. 12-28 Vancouver Games.Ansermoz said his skiers can only try to create a little doubt in the dominating American\'s mind."Right now, you\'re just happy when you\'re on the podium next to Lindsey," he said.Switzerland will challenge Vonn at St. Moritz with Dominique Gisin, a two-time World Cup winner last January, veteran Nadia Styger and Fabienne Suter, who won last March in Bansko, Bulgaria.Styger won at Whistler Mountain in February 2008, the only women\'s World Cup downhill raced on the Olympic slope in the past 15 years. She beat Vonn by one-hundredth of a second."For that, I know I can beat her in Whistler but at the moment it\'s really hard for us to beat Lindsey in the speed disciplines," the 31-year-old Styger said. "If she makes a mistake ... then maybe we can beat her."The Swiss women endured a bittersweet day in their injury-riddled season.Gisin made a surprising return by completing a training run Wednesday on the Corviglia piste only 17 days after undergoing keyhole surgery on her right knee. Her Olympic hopes had been written off following a Jan. 8 crash in a downhill at Haus im Ennstal, Austria - the third of Vonn\'s five straight victories.The upbeat mood faded within an hour when teammate Martina Schild tore the ACL in her left knee when landing a jump near the top of the course.Schild, the silver medallist in downhill at the 2006 Turin Winter Games, will miss the rest of the reason."Martina was coming back to her best form. She won a medal four years ago, she knew what the Olympics is," Ansermoz said. "It was supposed to be a very positive day to bring back a big leader like Dominique."read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/More-snow-on-the-way/5638/ The temperature has dropped in The Alps, its snowing in parts of Austria and other areas are bracing themselves too. In America 2m fell in Snowbird in a week and it\'s been chucking it down in Russia too. Winter is back. So where are the best conditions?There has been little or no fresh snow aross the Alps over the last few days, except some parts of Austria where cold temperatures have led to some snow.PlanetSKI has been in Chamonix and the Portes du Soleil in the past week and although there was no fresh powder the snow is in good shape, helped by the cold temperatures.See the photos of the week on the home page for a section of pictures from the French and Swiss parts of the Portes du Soleil.FRANCE: The cold temperatures have kept the snow in excellent condition for skiing and snowboarding in many resorts.There\'s been little new snow but in the Portes du Soleil the pistes are still in great condition."I\'ve skied round most of the resorts in the last few days and the slopes are all covered well," says PlanetSKI reader, Conrad Sutcliffe."In Avoriaz the off piste is especially good as the temperature has kept the snow nice and grippy," says our content editor, James Cove who has also been in the area.read more..... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Incomes-from-winter-tourism-will-not-be-more-than-EUR-150-160-million:-BTC-Chairman/5626/ We expected incomes of some EUR 200-250 million from the winter tourism, but now they will not be more than EUR 150-160 million, Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (BTC) Chairman Tsvetan Tonchev told FOCUS News Agency.He says that after the tourists who spend the holiday season in Bulgarian winter resorts, there was a period of low number of tourists because of the lack of snow.The situation has just cheered up as the tourists started going to Bansko, Razlog, Dobrinishte, Pamporovo and the border blockade started. The occupancy is some 60% and at the beginning it was 40-50%. We reiterate that there should be bilateral, trilateral route programs for tourists from remote countries. If a Japanese or Chinese group comes now and wants to tour the Balkan countries, they cannot visit Greece. There are Romanian tourists in the Bulgarian resorts, who want to go to on a shopping trip to Thessaloniki for a day or two, and now they cannot, said Tonchev.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Squalls-and-Heavy-Snow-Block-Ports-and-Roads-in-Bulgaria/5627/ Squally and snowy weather made the Civil Protection Agency and Road Police close the Hemus Highway and many minor roads in the Varna region; a snowstorm rages in eastern Bulgaria. The port of Varna has been closed for vessels as well.Restrictions have been imposed on all third-class roads in the area, and to the road to Shumen via Devnya. A snowstorm is raging in eastern Bulgaria, with Suvorovo and Valchidoll municipalities being hardest hit.The port of Varna was closed due to high winds and freezing temperatures. Varna airport remains open, working under winter conditions.The Bulgarian Red Cross has warned against unnecessary travel over the weekend because of the extreme cold. Emergency precautions are highly recommended to all travelers.The weather in the mountains is not suitable for tourism, according to the Mountain Rescue Service.Temperatures across the country are around minus 10 to minus 15 C, and the danger of freezing is high. In the mountains it is cloudy, and over the higher parts there is also fog. The conditions are safe for skiing in Bansko, Bezbog, Borovets, Malyovitsa, Vitosha - Aleko Chalet, Mechi Chal and Pamporovo.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/FIS-Alpine-Ski-European-Cup-Bansko-2010/5622/ 2010 Bansko ski centre will host the FIS Alpine Ski Europa Cup two slalom races for Men From 22nd to 23rd of January. Organizers are Bulgarian Ski Federation and Bulgarian Ski Pool, with the support of the Ministry of Physi cal Education and Sports, ULEN and Municipality Bansko.All ski sports fans will have the chance to cheer the man\'s slalom elite which will flock to Bansko for the FIS Alpine Ski Europe Cup. Both competitions will start at 10:30. Don’t miss the exciting races!read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria-Winter-Resorts-Hit-by-Greek-Farmers-Border-Blockade/5618/ Local tourist companies have reported a huge drop in tourist numbers in Bulgaria’s main winter resorts over the blockade by Greek farmers of the Bulgaria-Greece border.Sandanski, Bansko ans the entire South-West region of Bulgaria have reported a drop in tourists since last week when the first rumors of a possible blockade of the Bulgarian-Greek border came out in the local media.Since last week, Greek tour operators have begun to refuse reservations at Bulgarian hotels, as Greek tourists have no certainty that they will be able to cross the border into Bulgaria.”The situation is very bad. Millions of euros are being lost - not only in Sandanski, but in Bansko and the whole region, “ local tourist officials reported.Bulgaria Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, earlier Tuesday requested EUR 10 M from the European Union for the ongoing blockade of the Bulgaria-Greek border by Greek farmers, who started to block the Bulgarian border for ten days from Monday as they rally against unpaid subsidies and low prices for their production.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria-braces-itself-for-a-strong-blizzard/5613/ A large weather system will bring heavy and extensive snowfall to all of Bulgaria – except for the southeast corner, the Bulgarian Meteorological Institute was quoted as saying on January 19 2010.The blizzard will be most intense in eastern Bulgaria and in central Stara Planina where snow cover is likely to exceed 25cm and with 25cm already accumulated, may reach up to half a metre, the report says.The situation in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country will be exacerbated by strong and sustained northerly winds which are likely to create dangerous cornices, and will subsequently result in poor visibility, causing serious obstruction to safety and traffic. As of 11am Varna already accounts for nearly 30cm of snow as the blizzard there has been ongoing for more than 16 hours. Many other areas in the east and northeast are subjected to severe weather.Western Bulgaria will also see snowfall, albeit considerably milder in intensity compared to the eastern and central parts of the country. Southwestern Bulgaria, meanwhile, will escape the onslaught with occasional scattered cloud formations.And while the snow falling in abundance may be a nuisance and a problem in most areas, where it is needed most, Bansko, Vitosha and Borovets, it will be relatively insignificant, according to the report.In an experience seeming to contradict this report, however, residents in the southern Sofia borough of Boyana reported "heavy snowfall" on the morning of January 19. Mild snowfall was also reported in Bansko. Temperatures at 1200m will be at around -5C while at 2000m elevation temperatures will fall to -10C but the wind-chill factor will be substantial.Along the Black Sea coast it will be windy, cold and a "significant" snow cover is expected to accumulate, with temperatures ranging between 0C and -4C. read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Incidents-out-of-guarded-areas-involving-skiers-and-snowboarders-multiply/5612/ Mountain rescuer teams are searching for a foreign man, who signaled for help. Duty officer at the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) Zapryan Horozov said that in the late afternoon a foreign citizen has crossed the guarded area in Pirin mountain and headed for Damyanishka valley. Now about 16 mountain rescuers from Bansko winter resort are searching for him. The weather in the mountain is cloudy and snowy.This is the third incident in the past few days. The MRS warns that snowboarding and skiing out of guarded areas is dangerous.Yesterday three snowboarders stuck in crags, again out of the guarded area. Two of them were foreign citizens. Mountain rescuers found them later and saved.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Ski-Babel-In-Bansko-and-Pamporovo-mix-ten-languages/5605/ Bulgarian winter resorts began to look like Babel. In Bansko and Pamporovo near ten languages are spoken. Ski lovers hit the jackpot. The snow cover in most places is sufficient for skiing and the slopes are perfectly prepared. Hotels are packed. Bansko is crammed with Bulgarians, Greeks, Macedonians, Serbs, Turks, Russians, Englishmen, Germans, Scandinavians and many others.Rhodope ski resorts also offer perfect conditions for skiing.However, hundreds of foreign tourists forgot about the skies and even their wives and spend the day in the tavernas. The clear and fresh mountain air serves just to come to ones senses after the hangover in the morning. The SPA centres barely manage to satisfy the thousands, who would like to have a massage or to enjoy the pools.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Projects-for-some-12,-000-MW-pending-for-EU-funding/5599/ Projects for renewable energy sources – mainly wind turbines and solar panels, with a total capacity of 12, 000 MW, have been filed with the Ministry of Ecology. This is what the incumbent minister Nona Karadzhova told a conference on alternative energy capacities, hosted by the Confederation of Entrepreneurs and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG).“What we’re talking here is the energy equivalent of Slanchev Bryag or Bansko and we should not tolerate it”, UniCredit Bulbank’s head Levon Hampartzoumian commented.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgaria---the-Best-Kept-Tourism-Secret/5598/ The Bulgarian resorts have lately outshined the sights of Istanbul. The British tourists prefer sunbathing in Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, or skiing in Bansko and Pamporovo mountain resorts in Bulgaria to sightseeing in Istanbul. Bulgaria ranks fourth among the world tourist destinations, recommended by the "Scotsman".Only the city of Kyoto in Japan, Morocco and South Africa rank before Bulgaria in this chart. According to the edition, Bulgaria is one of the best-kept tourism secrets in Europe."Now that the country is a EU member, this gem comes to light. Skiing in Bulgaria is cheaper than in the Alps and the Black Sea coast offers resorts that are especially built for the purposes of summer tourism and traditional resorts, as well as one of the best sandy beaches in Europe," the article reads.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Weather-conditions-are-not-suitable-for-mountain-tourism/5588/ Weather conditions in mountain highlands are bad, the Mountain Rescue Service told FOCUS News Agency . Snow cover is not enough for skiing, but in spite this tourists in Bansko resort are skiing.It is cloudy and windy in mountains. There is stormy wind in the central part Stara Planina Mountain and dense fog in some places. Strong wind blows at Musala peak as well.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Ex-Bulgaria-Cabinet-Spent-Billions-from-Phantom-Budget-Surplus/5589/ The record State budget revenue for 2008, claimed by Bulgaria’s previous three-party coalition cabinet, never existed, an audit of the National Audit Office reveals.According to the audit, released late Friday, taxes collected in 2008 were with BGN millions less than what the State Budget Act requires and the coalition cabinet had been spending a non-existent surplus.The information had been published in the Bulgarian daily “Sega” (Now), cited by the news agency BGNES.In 2008, the previous cabinet kept bragging about the record surplus over the introduction of the flat tax and other measures, but the audit reveals that the collected Value Added Tax (VAT) is with BGN 705 M less while the collected personal income tax is with BGN 199 M less than the required one. Despite these numbers, which the publication says were well known to those ruling the country, and despite the looming global crisis, the cabinet had decided to give away a staggering BGN 1,5 B at the end of 2008.Since the surplus did not materialize, the Finance Ministry had just moved money around from one institution to another leading to a discrepancy of BGN 2,5 B between the approved by the Members of the Parliament 2008 State budget and the actual funds that have been distributed, the audit reveals without offering comments on the legality of the spending. Former Finance Minister, Plamen Oresharski, had really broken all records by updating the budget more than 700 times in 2008.In addition, different ministries spent in 2008 BGN 1,3 B more for renovations and new construction than the funds slated for such activities. http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/5-åxpected-increase-in-tourism-revenues-in-2010/5581/ In 2010 the development of tourism in Bulgaria has started stabilizing. We expect to keep the parameters of the tourism of 2009 with about 5% increase in the revenues, said director of the Institute for Analysis and Assessment in Tourism Rumen Draganov in an interview to FOCUS News Agency.“This will be felt this winter, mainly with the increase of Romanian, Macedonian and Greek tourists, who are acquainted with Bulgarian tourist product and in which we see a high level of repetition in travels,” Draganov said.He said further that regarding to Christmas and New Year, Bulgarian tourism has closed 2009 very well and has started 2010 very good, as well.“The hotel base in all winter resorts-Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo has worked at full speed,” Draganov noted.Desislava ANTOVA read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Solutions-Overseas-continues-to-expand-in-2010-and-launch-their-first-expansion-plan-with-the-new-look-www.solutionsoverseas.com/5577/ Last year was undoubtedly a year that many people had to deal with tough financial situations, including making challenging decisions on their investments and in particular their overseas property investments. The economic downturn of 2009 meant that many developers and real estate agents were forced to re-examine and curtail their resources, and in considerable cases, close down. Accordingly hundreds of thousands of overseas property investors were left feeling abandoned and alone. It was Solutions Overseas who was available to support these distressed clients.Solutions Overseas are experts in the overseas property industry. They not only advise clients individually but last year hundreds of developers and real estate agents worldwide also employed their consultancy services. Solutions Overseas team members not only have over 40 years combined experience in the property industry, but speak a variety of languages, coming to the aid of overseas developers who struggle to communicate to clients due to language barriers.Solutions Overseas offer every service you could possibly need on your overseas property; Snagging, Industrial Cleans, Furniture, Rental Solutions, Insurance and many more services.Last year saw Solutions Overseas lead the overseas property furniture industry, installing over 2,700 packs in 2009. Solutions Overseas also led the installation process in many developments. For example, it was the first company to install furniture in the development Aspen Heights, Bansko, Bulgaria.Solutions Overseas actively got involved with encouraging clients to chat together and create development communities through the Solutions Overseas Facebook page. This then grew to Solutions Overseas advising owner associations directly. For example, the forum www.banskostudios.co.uk asked if Solutions Overseas would participate in amalgamating property owners, in the hope of attaining solutions to development or management issues. Solutions Overseas now sponsors www.banskostudios.co.uk.The last twelve months has also seen the growth of Solutions Overseas´ sister brand; Rental Solutions Overseas (www.rentalsolutionsoverseas.com), marketing properties worldwide. Property owners who desperately needed a solution to their cash flow problem enjoyed the advantages of marketing their property with Rental Solutions Overseas. This no fuss approach to rentals not only meant that all bookings were managed on the owners´ behalf, but owners benefited from Rental Solutions Overseas´ travel industry connections and its ability to yield rental income on the owner´s behalf. Owners also had their properties marketed on well known regional radio stations, one for example being Dublin´s FM104 Radio.So what effect did 2009 have and what does 2010 have in store for Solutions Overseas and its´ clients? Commenting on the subject, Corporate Director, Jessica Hyde had this to say; “2009 was the turning point for Solutions Overseas. It was not only our most successful year, but it also showed us exactly what we can achieve in an economic crisis. This is thanks to the loyalty of our clients. Every day I receive thank you messages and emails from clients who felt lost and came to us for help and solutions. Now I want to take this opportunity to thank them for all their support in 2009.”“I can tell you that we have massive expansion plans in the pipeline for 2010. The first plan has been launched with our new look website (www.solutionsoverseas.com) which clients can now see live. I am personally very excited about this launch as it means that we can now offer furniture in just under 50 countries worldwide. This is only the beginning for Solutions Overseas and our clients in 2010.”read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Moving-in-the-snow/5576/ Early in the morning a heavy snowfall put the road traffic in Sofia in chaos. The traffic is running in winter conditions. The main boulevards in the city were almost blocked due to the bad conditions and not cleaned roads. The public transport in Sofia is running about 15-20 minutes behind schedule. The public transport servicing Bankya and Dragalevtsi living estates is hampered. The traffic is further impeded along open and steep roads due to silver frost.There are snowfalls in many parts of the country.Sliven: It is snowingIt is snowing in the town if Sliven, FOCUS News Agency reporter announced. There is already a snow cover on streets of the town. Road surfaces are wet and slippery. Measured temperature is 0 degree Celsius in Sliven. The weather is calm. It is expected snowing to continue throughout the day.Taking off and landing of aircrafts at Sofia Airport runs normalSofia Airport flights have been taking off and landing throughout the morning, director of the airport Plamen Stanchev said for FOCUS New Agency.The landing-strip has been treated with chemicals after snow-plough machines had removed the snow. Currently the stopping effect is the rate between satisfactory and good. Landings are smooth. Aircrafts set in a line before taking off for being sprayed with antifreezing liquid, which causes about 10-15min delay of flights.Road situation in the country is calmAccording to data of the regional road departments situation in the country is calm by 11:30am, press centre of National Road Infrastructure Agency reported. All republican roads are passable under winter conditions. There are no closed road sections. Over 500 snow-cleaning machines clean and treated the republican roads with sand.The due organization has been launched for securing the passability of the country roads.The following passes remain closed for the whole winter season: Etropole – Zlatitsa, Tvarditsa – Elena, Troyan – Karnare and Varbishki pass.Traffic of buses that serve Bankya and Dragalevsti routes is hamperedCompanies that are responsible for snow cleaning in the capital started with treatment of roads last night, the press centre of Sofia Municipality reported.Traffic in Sofia runs under winter conditions. Vehicles of the public transport travel with about 15-20 minutes delay. Traffic of buses that serve Bankya and Dragalevsti living districts in the capital is hampered due to snowy roads.Avalanche hazard in Bansko winter resortWeather is overcast and snowy in Bansko winter resort, duty officer of the Mountain Rescue Service told FOCUS – Pirin radio. The newly formed snow cover is about 10-15cm. All the outfits in the resort are working with the exception of the four-seated chair lift from Banderishka Poliyana to Todorka peak. Todorka and Tomba ski-runs have been closed due to icy sections.MRS: Weather conditions in mountains are not suitable for skiingWeather conditions in mountains are not suitable for skiing, press centre of the Mountain Rescue Service with the Bulgarian Red Cross told FOCUS News Agency.The Mountain Rescue Service warns that visibility is reduced due to the snow cover which worsens conditions for skiing.It is snowing in mountain resorts of Bansko and Pamporovo and on Vitosha and Stara Planina mountains.Weather in mountains is overcast and calm. Measured temperatures vary from -7 and -5 degrees Celsius.It is snowing in the town of Gotse DelchevIt is snowing heavily in the town of Gotse Delchev, FOCUS – Pirin radio reporter announced. Weather in Gotse Delchev is cloudy but warmer compared to yesterday. Measured temperature is 2 degrees C.Sofia: huge traffic jams along Bulgaria BlvdHuge traffic jams have been formed along Bulgaria Blvd in the capital city Sofia, FOCUS News Agency reporter announced. Lines of cars have been formed in downtown direction. Traffic is hampered especially at junctions. Road surfaces are covered with snow and slippery with ice. There are no traffic police officers to control the traffic.Pazardzhik: It begin to snowIt began to snow in the town of Pazardzhik, FOCUS – Pazardzhik radio reported. Road surfaces in the town are wet. Traffic is smooth along main roads and junctions in Pazardzhik.Slippery roads in the capital city SofiaRoad surfaces are wet in the capital living districts and in the foot of Vitosha mountain, FOCUS News Agency reporter announced. It is snowing in Sofia and traffic is impeded.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Veliko-Tarnovo,-Velingrad,-Sandanski,-Devin,-Hisarya-and-Bansko-were-most-visited-destination-during-holidays/5569/ Sofia. Most preferred places during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays were the towns of Veliko Tarnovo, Velingrad, Sandanski, Devin, Hisarya and Bansko winter resort. This is what chairman of the Bulgarian hotel and restaurant association Blagoi Ragin said for FOCUS News Agency.“This is the great six”, Ragin commented. In his words Veliko Tarnovo was the outstanding destination with its cultural and SPA tourism. The lack of snow had no negative effect on the town, which was visited by over 5000 tourists.read more http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Go-ski/5552/ The Balkans’ most modern resort was until the turn of the century an isolated snow field used by the Bulgarian military for training. Privatisation and government grants helped build the best lift system in the region and upgraded a provincial mountain village into a winter sports resort capable of competing with the Alps.Bulgaria’s initial appeal is its prices, some 40 per cent lower than western Europe, but Bansko has a growing and loyal following who come year after year to enjoy Ottoman-inspired dishes, a large terrain, varied off-piste activities and excursions, the eccentricity of Balkan nightlife and affordable private ski and board tuitions.Although the outskirts have suffered from overdevelopment, the centre of the town is a maze of cobbled streets peppered with great restaurants and bars with comfortingly low prices.Bansko’s managers have some work to do in dealing with the morning gondola bottlenecks, but once on the mountain the riding is superb, with good beginners’ slopes framed by the woods of the Pirin national park and challenging blacks and off-piste under Todorka peak to satisfy the experienced.Resort height 925mRange 1100-2600mLifts 16Total runs 70kmLongest run 16kmBest run Weather permitting, the full 16km descent from the top station through the Chalin woods. Stop halfway to treat yourself to a reinvigorating Rakia, before slowly drifting back into town.Snowparks OneSeason length Mid-December to AprilSnow reliability **** Who goes Growing middle-class snowhounds of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and Russia. College kids from Greece and Turkey. Bewildered Irish apartment owners and traditional first week learners from Ireland and Britain.Value €€€€ The property overhang has kept accommodation prices low. Food and drink are great value and nourishing hearty Bulgarian four-course meals with local red wines can be had for less than €10 per headInsider tips Intermediates finding it difficult to progress can hire private one-on-one lessons for less than half the price of Alpine resortsAirports Sofia, PlovdivTour operators Topflight, Directski, Crystal, Inghams, Panorama Kitwatch One of the distinct advantages of being a boarder is the footwear; lighter, more flexible and cooler than the clunky ski boot. This year the Burton label has pushed comfort out that little bit more with the Supreme range. This women’s line of boots have added internal portable heating keeping your toes extra toasty on those frosty mornings. Available from €249, stockists include Snow and Rock in Dundrum Shopping Centre and Onboard in Dún Laoghaire and off Dawson Street in Dublin 2. See onboard.ie, snowand rock.com.Snow report Another fantastic week of snow across Europe. France, Italy and Austria all had their good starts topped up with fresh stuff during the week.The low lying Alpine valley resorts will always struggle this early, but very low temperatures have the snow cannons on overtime.This week will see the opening of the majority of the ski resorts’ full terrain. The Pyrenees and Eastern Europe took a big early week blast and are well set for their busy Christmas clientele.Next week is hopeful, with the cold snap set to continue and snow continuing to fall even at low altitudesSnow-forecast.com provides free forecasts for over 2,200 resorts worldwide. Verify the snow status of some 250 popular resorts on skiclub.co.uk or have a peek at your mountain of choice on snoweye.com.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Ski-area-plans-threaten-Europe’s-last-untouched-forests/5548/ Plans for new skiing areas in the region around the Carpathian Mountains and the Balkans threaten to harm major protected areas that house some of Europe’s last remaining untouched wilderness.New developments and expansion plans for existing facilities for downhill skiing are in the works across many parts of the region, particularly in Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Ukraine.In theory, potential conflicts between nature conservation and development – including for ski tourism – should be mediated by procedures such as Environmental Impact Assessments and the European Union’s Article 6 of the Habitats Directive, which provide a system for evaluating potential impacts on nature and identifying solutions and measures to mitigate negative impacts.In practice, however, these safeguards are of limited effect, and in the face of intense pressure from economic and political forces, nature conservation is often given short shrift.The Carpathian Mountains are Europe’s last great wilderness area – a bastion for large carnivores, with some two-thirds of the continent’s populations of brown bears, wolves and lynx. They are also home to the greatest remaining reserves of old growth forests outside of Russia.Meanwhile, the Balkan Mountains and the Rila-Rodope Mountain Range in Bulgaria contain outstanding natural features that are of global importance, including the Rila and Pirin National Parks, which have been recognised, respectively, as a certified PAN Parks wilderness area and a UNESCO World Heritage Park.“It is striking how little climate change and sustainability appear to be entering calculations for many of the new ski area,” said Andreas Beckman, Director of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme. “Already, rising temperatures and decreased precipitation and snow cover is causing problems for many facilities, with some poor recent ski seasons.”read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bansko-Ski-Season-Opening/5544/ The Bansko fens are used to the glamorous season opening party. This year it exceeded all expectations for sure. Great ski champions Mark Girardelli, Pirmin Zurbgiggen, Peter Popangeloff, Bojan Krizaj, Paul Accola, Patrick Ortlieb, Peter Mueller and Hubert Strolz competing against each other, but this time for a noble cause – raising funds for the ski and snowboard education of more Bulgarian kids.Marc Girardelli won the charity slalom in Bansko. Second finished the Swiss champ Pirmin Zurbriggen, with the Austrian Helmut Strolz third.The last minute surprise was the Swedish pop star Dr Alban, who excited the fans in the night of the season opening.The ski slopes were perfectly maintained and Banderishka polyana offered more than 50 cm snow. Numerous skiers and boarders flooded the ski zone for the first downhill of the year.The resort itself was enlivened by numerous tourists and ski lovers from all over. The party season in Bansko has definitely begun.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Construction-companies-shift-from-real-estate-to-roads-and-infrastructure/5540/ Construction companies which until recently were in the business of developing and building residential complexes, golf courses and holiday homes, were redirecting their resources towards road construction, Bulgarian daily Dnevnik said on December16 2009. Some of these companies were said to be conducting negotiations to buy out established road construction firms.The reason for the shift in interest was a one billion euro planned investment in the sector under the regional development programmes earmarked for the modernisation of Bulgaria’s infrastructure. "Real estate construction and tourism are in stagnation, since 7 or 8 months we are expanding our resources in the road construction sector," Nikolai Galchev, head of Galchev Engineering Group, was quoted by Dnevnik as saying. Galchev carved out a reputation for himself by building a string of holiday homes in Bulgaria’s alpine resort town of Bansko. Nowadays, his company was involved in public procurement procedures for as many as six different projects under the Transit Roads V programme. He has already secured a contract for road maintenance near the southwestern town of Sandanski.Galchev was also interested in participating in the construction of the Trakia motorway, as well as "buying out some established road construction firms" Dnevnik said. Balkanstroi was another firm which was to participate in the Trakia motorway public tender procedures, according to Balkanstroi manager Nikolai Kaloyanov. Balkanstroi has built numerous residential complexes around the country, as well as a golf course in Razlog. "The colleagues from residential construction are aggressively pushing to get a slice of the market in motorway construction. We respect their professional expertise, but they have no experience in road construction," Roumen Yovchev, executive director of Moststroi and head of the Roads Chamber, was quoted by Dnenvik as saying.Yovchev said he would attempt to introduce a tough selection procedure for construction companies who want to be inaugurated in the branch of building first and second class roads across Bulgaria.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Macedonian-President-Gjorge-Ivanov-to-visit-Bulgaria/5535/ President of the Republic of Macedonia, Gjorge Ivanov, will pay a work visit to Bulgaria on December 19, 2009, at the invitation of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, the press office of the presidency announced.President Georgi Parvanov will welcome his Macedonian counterpart at the Gyueshevo border checkpoint, where there will be a symbolic ceremony for the official lifting of the visa regime for Macedonian citizens.There will be a private meeting between the two presidents at the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena in the town of Bansko and then a meeting between the Bulgarian and Macedonian delegations. After that the two presidents will hold joint news conference.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bansko-ski-guide:-the-resort/5530/ Where to Ski and Snowboard\'s essential guide to the Bulgarian ski resort of Bansko, including practical information on visiting the mountain, and the best hotels, restaurants and bars. Bansko is an old town, set on a flat valley floor in the scenic Pirin National Park, that has been catapulted into the 21st century by installation of modern lifts on its slopes and construction of a lot of new lodgings, many near the base of the new access gondola to the slopes. Last season the resort took a further step forward by hosting World Cup women’s downhill and Super-G racesread more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/New-ski-season-in-Bansko-to-be-officially-opened-on-Saturday/5531/ Bansko. The new ski season in the winter resort Bansko will be officially opened on Saturday, said mayor of the town Alexander Kravarov for FOCUS Pirin Radio. The opening will be followed by parallel slalom, with the participation of 8 Olympic champions. Up to now the equipment for snow are not working all the time because temperatures are high. According to the prognosis of the mayor there will be no drastic decrease in tourists’ flow in the coming winter season.“We expect decrease in number of English tourists, but more Bulgarians, pressed by the crisis, will stay in Bulgaria. Moreover, more Russian tourists are expected,” the mayor said.Asked how hotel keepers overcome crisis after a year in the situation of economic crisis Kravarov said:“They are trying to survive, there are all kinds on problems, new services are provided and prices are decreased. No new hotels have been opened. There were several hotels closed in the summer but they are opened again.”Krasimira DIMITROVA read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Back-to-Snow-for-Most-After-Warm-Spell-Inflicts-Damage-in-Europe/5526/ Kiltarlity, Scotland, UK - Although snowfall has eased in the Alps from a week ago, it is still continuing with at least a few inches of fresh on the upper slopes at many European ski and snowboard resorts. Italy was a major beneficiary over the weekend and its resorts now have some of the world\'s deepest present snow cover. At the start of this week it\'s Switzerland that is posting the most powder reports with resorts reporting 20 or 30cm of new snow. Elsewhere the western U.S. is seeing some big snowfalls with Squaw Valley above Lake Tahoe, Calif., reporting 60cm (two feet) of snow on Monday. The biggest snowfalls in Italy were in the northwestern portion of the country (Piemonte, Lombardia, Valle d\'Aosta) and in the last few days in Alto Adige. The snow cover, however, isn’t universal and in Friuli a lack of snow has led to the start of the season being postponed.The biggest accumulation of the past seven days has been in Val d\'Ultimo which reports 190cm (6.3 feet) of new snow. Val Senales / Schnals is not far behind with 160cm (5.3 feet) and Santa Caterina is on 130cm (4.3 feet), Cortina d\'Ampezzo 110 cm (3.65 feet). The Arabba Marmolada glacier currently reports the deepest snow anywhere in the world with 312cm (10.5 feet) on upper slopes, 55cm (22 inches) at the base. It’s a similar picture, just a few centimeters less, on the Presena Glacier above Passo Tonale. Bormio, one of the winter’s early openers six weeks ago, has 190cm (6.3 feet) on upper slopes, 30cm (a foot) below. Madesimo and Cervinia - Breuil each has about 1.5 meters (five feet) on upper slopes.Thirty resorts have already partially opened their ski areas in France, of which six are currently only open on weekends. That number will grow to at least 40 this weekend.After a warming period following last week’s snow, with some rain damage to lower slopes, more snow has started falling again and Orelle, lift-linked to Val Thorens in The Three Valleys (each of which is now at least partially open) in the northern Alps, issued a powder alarm yesterday with a 20cm (eight inch) snowfall.Resorts scheduled to open this weekend include La Plagne, Serre Chevalier, Flaine, Vars and Avoriaz. La Clusaz currently reports the best snow depth in the country with 120cm (four feet) of snow. In the Pyrenees, Bareges and La Mongie have the most snow with 90cm (three feet) lying. Val d’Isere will host the 54th edition of the "Critérium de la Première Neige" this weekend for women and the following weekend (Dec. 18-20) for men.There has been limited new snowfall in Austria, but the country’s glacier ski areas are reporting some of the deepest snow available anywhere. The snow line in Austria is between 500 and 800 meters today and the Austrian Broadcast Corporation ORF predicts more snowfall for Saturday and low temperatures between -6 and 0 degrees (Celsius) for Sunday.The Molltal glacier has among the three biggest snow depths in the world at present with 2.2m (7.3 feet), while Pitztal, Solden,Stubai and Hintertux glaciers all have at least 1.5m (five feet)of snow. Kaprun has reported 40cm of new snow in the past 24 hours. Austrian resorts which will open this weekend include more of the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser with 15cm (six inches) of snow in Brixental and Kleinwalsertal (opening on the 12th) with up to 40cm (15 inches) of snow at the Nebelhorn ski area. Seefeld – Rosshütte, Gerlos/ Zillertal and Lermoos/ Tiroler Zugspitz Arena will also open with 30cm (a foot) of snow.It’s a similar picture over the border in Germany where the Zugspitzplatt has the most snow with 125 (4.1 feet). Oberstdorf has 30cm (a foot).After heavy snow last week in Switzerland almost cut off the resort of Engelberg and other resorts reported big falls, Swiss resorts have again been announcing substantial snowfalls of at least 20cm in each in the past 24 hours. Davos, Gstaad and Les Diablerets are among the latest to note substantial new snowfalls, with Engelberg also reporting another 20cm (eight inches). Verbier had the biggest single snowfall, with 30cm (a foot) of new snow.Swiss resorts are now reporting some of the deepest snow depths in the world, with Andermatt recording some of the deepest snow, a 1.3m (4.3 feet) base at the bottom of the slopes and 1.9m (6.3 feet) on upper runs.In Andorra and Spain the news is less good as pouring rain and warm weather ruined some of the great conditions reported only a week ago. Only Spain’s largest resorts of Baqueira (30-60 cm and 77 km) and Formigal (10-80 cm and 64 km) continue to offer good conditions. However Panticosa (30-60 cm and 22 km), Cerler (20-65 cm and 18 km), Astun (20-80 cm and 20 km), Candanchu (15-65 cm and 29 km), Boi Taull (15-30 cm and 20 km), La Molina (10-20cm and 3 km), Masella (10-25 km and 9 km) and Grand Pallars ski resorts (Espot, Port Ainé and Tavascan, 15-40 cm with 60 km) all in the Pyrenees, are still open. Outside the Pyrenees only Sierra Nevada with 10-30 cm and 5km of runs is open for skiers.A cooling trend is expected for the weekend, allowing Spanish ski resorts to put snowmaking facilities back in to operation.In Scandinavia there has been a similar roller coaster of weather to the Alps and Pyrenees with just a few centimeters of snow for some resorts. Åre in Sweden is hosting the women\'s World Cup this weekend and they are giving away one free day pass to all spectators who come to watch the competitions. The ski resort of Säfsen will open up two slopes this weekend.In Scotland, Cairngorm remains open and has extended the terrain available, with a descent to the bottom of the funicular on a narrow band of snow possible this week. Low temperatures should help to maintain this possibility. The country’s other four centers have insufficient snow to open.There are no reports of any ski areas open yet in Eastern Europe, although Bansko in Bulgaria has said it plans to open this weekend and the webcams are showing a snowy picture in the Czech Republic.Across the Atlantic most areas of North America have seen improved conditions. The exception is possibly British Columbia where conditions couldn’t really actually improve much on the record breaking November snowfall. The only problem there is that it’s very cold – as low as -40C overnight, so wrap up well! Kicking Horse and Fernie are now open, joining the rest. Virtually all of the province’s ski areas are now open, although Panorama still has to join them, with opening scheduled for this Friday. At Fernie conditions are described as “fantastic” with over six feet (1.8m) of settled snow base in the five alpine bowls.Heli-skiing is the latest snow sport to benefit from the great snow in B.C. with Great Canadian Heli-Skiing announcing that its first paying guests went heli-skiing last Sunday, three weeks before the normal start date. This lucky private party, which included the only North American delegate to be invited to judge the snowboarding events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, shows that amongst Great Canadian’s guests, snow is definitely trumping the economy.In Alberta, Sunshine’s famous Delirium Dive opened over the weekend, the earliest opening in its ten-year history. As one of Sunshine Village’s three freeride zones, the Dive offers some of the most extreme inbounds terrain in North America.“We’ve had fantastic snow this season enabling us to open the Dive earlier than ever before. Expert skiers and snowboarders will be very happy,” said Dan Markham, of Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bulgarian-Properties-facing-Repossession-–-What-to-do/5522/ Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}Most foreign buyers have purchased properties in Bulgaria via ‘off plan’ schemes. These purchases are typically based upon a contractual proposal for the delivery of a property in the future, payment is by way of instalments and these are often in accordance with the stage of build. The vast majority of such agreements will result in penalties for the developing company if they complete late and the risk of repossession for the owner if they fail to pay in full or on time. This article deals with issues arsing from off plan purchases when a buyer hasn’t been able to raise the expected financing from either their own sources or via a Bulgarian mortgage. In particular it considers the routes of; remortgaging, reselling, renegotiating and repossession. Bulgarian Mortgaging:Many investors are not strictly cash buyers and have entered into an off plan agreements reliant on bank credit to compete the deal. In the current climate mortgages for foreigners are impossible in the tourist areas of the ski resorts and the Black Sea coast (for full information on this subject please refer to our Mortgages articles) as such you are very unlikely to complete and exchange on a property any time soon if you are absolutely reliant on a bank lending against the property. Your best bet is to reconsider either the source of funding or the agreement that you have in place with the developer. Remortgaging:Of the hundreds of cases we have witnessed throughout 2009, for those who planned to apply for a Bulgarian mortgage and have now realised that it is not possible, the most common solution has been to remortgage a UK property or release funds from savings / other assets. Sadly it is a myth that any UK bank will lend against a Bulgarian property, however releasing equity from a UK property by remortgaging to provide funds to complete an overseas purchase is still possible. If this is an option, you should consult an FSA qualified financial advisor. Reselling:What about Reselling? You might have had enough of the whole process, perhaps the investment is not turning out to be what you expected, maybe the developer is no longer building the same facilities that were marketed and you would rather just get out of the whole thing. Whilst this is technically / legally possible and under normal market conditions absolutely achievable, right now it is virtually impossible to sell heavily discounted finished and furnished apartments with proven rental history, let alone half built half paid for properties which are under disputed contract. If we take the example of Bansko; developers are currently offering 30% off of pricelists and private individual resale apartments are discounted by as much as 60% from 2006 prices, even these offers are not attracting buyers and as such it would be pure luck to find a willing cash buyer who wanted your specific unfinished semi off plan apartment. The problem here is not the complexity or the legality of selling a property which is not technically yours yet, all that can be overcome with contracts, at this time it is absolutely about the lack of demand caused by the lack of credit and current lack of belief in property as a stable investment. When these two issues turn, the market will begin to move again, as such we can safely rule out resale as a realistic option in 90% of cases at the current time. Renegotiation:So what if you have an outstanding balance to pay the developer, there are no Bulgarian mortgages available, you don’t want to borrow against your UK property / don’t have one to borrow against and you can’t resell? Your only realistic option is to renegotiate as the alternative is to either lose the funds paid to date or face repossession if you are already the title deed holder. Every case will be unique, however most will be either be A or B below: A) the buyer is overdue making an instalment and hasn’t yet taken ownership / title deed, as such the terms and conditions of the preliminary contract, penalties, late fees etc still apply. If you fall into this category then you are at risk of having the contractual agreement cancelled resulting in the loss of funds paid in thus far and / or penalties and late fees clocking up excessively. It is your responsibility to pursue the developer to achieve a revised mutual agreement geared towards you achieving ownership and reducing your overall risk. In many cases a revised settlement will often pivot around two key elements; the contribution of a lump sum cash payment from the buyer to the developer, normally in the region of 10-15% of the purchase price, followed by smaller monthly instalments broadly inline with expected mortgage repayments, 300-700 Euro / month or so. These amounts continue to be deducted from the balance until such time that a mortgage becomes available. In either case, it is often a solution which keeps both parties content for a year or so thus giving the Bulgarian banks a reasonable amount of time to release new mortgages which can be used to conclude matters. Aspects such as the buyer’s usage and rental income in-between the renegotiated settlement and the final exchange of ownership will always be a matter of unique debate with the specific developer, however it is not uncommon for both to be granted under mutually beneficial agreements. All of this will typically be reflected in an Annex to the preliminary contract so that it becomes a formal extension to the original agreement. It is important to ignore minor issues at this stage; mitigating circumstances such as completion delays, failed promises, unsatisfactory furniture and finishes etc are almost irrelevant if you have an unpaid balance more than 10% of the total. At the end of the day, if you haven’t bought the property in its entirety then it is not yours to complain about entirely. Whilst you might have valid points relating to the minor issues it is crucial that you leave these to later. It is better to focus on getting the major issue of the unpaid balance resettled and when you are in a position to pay in cash or via mortgage and exchange deeds, then debate the final amount and pay a sum that reflects and considers all of the circumstances.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Bansko-ski-season-opener-party-spoiler/5518/ The 2009/2010 ski season in Bansko, which is arguably hailed as the Balkan Peninsula\'s most developed ski resort, is scheduled to be officially launched on December 12 2009, but the main dampener of the festivities for the moment appears to be the lack of snow, Investor.bg reported on December 9 2009.The snow cannons are operational when temperatures drop below zero, but the snow cover is still far from sufficient, Ivan Obreikov, head of the Yulen ski centre, the main concessioner in the mountain said, quoted by the Bulgarian news agency (BTA).Bansko ski authorities are banking on the weather "improving" by the end of the week, meaning a significant drop in temperature and sustained snowfall so that the "decor of the mountain is appropriate for the season\'s launch".The inauguration ceremony will be staged on Bunderishka Polyana ski centre with the participation of former Olympic and world champions. Guests will be treated to a parallel slalom on the resort\'s main slope, Alberto Tomba, featuring Bulgarian legend Petar Popangelov, Austrian Marc Girardelli, Pirmin Zurbriggen from Switzerland and Slovenia\'s Bojan Križaj. The race will be shown live on private national bTV broadcaster.The gondola from Bansko to Bunderishka Polyana is currently operational. Reportedly, there is "sufficient" amount of snow in the higher parts of the mountain but the slopes are not prepared yet. read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Macedonian-circles’-attempt-to-present-Nikola-Vaptsarov-as-Macedonian-poet-is-old-and-invented-issue:-curator/5514/ Sofia. The attempt of some Macedonian circles to present Nikola Vaptsarov as a Macedonian poet is an old and invented issue, Galabitsa Todeva, a curator in Nikola Vaptsarov house museum in the Bulgarian town of Bansko, says in an interview with FOCUS News Agency.“Vaptsarov’s mother defends him in the best way, although Vaptsarov defends himself very well in his works, because a few years ago there were similar attacks,” said Todeva.She thinks such attacks do not and will not stop.“Because of similar frauds, on 10 July 1968 his mother Elena Vaptsarova published an address, or more precisely a letter, in the then newspaper Pirinsko Delo,” said Todeva.In her letter Elena Vaptsarova says: “Vaptsarov’s native land is Bulgaria. I would like to share with the readers of the newspaper my sincere outrage at some writers and journalists in Skopje. I have been worried for a long time, but I was silent in behalf of the good neighborly relations. A few years ago in Warsaw the mother of Zoya and Shura Kosmodemyanskaya and I hugged (Editor’s Note – Galabitsa Todeva explains: The Second Peace Congress took place in Warsaw and then the World Peace Council presented Bulgarian Nikola Vaptsarov with its award and that is the only big award given to a Bulgarian up to now.) and promised each other that we will be in the frontlines of the struggle for peace so that there is no other people like us and that’s why I was silent. And now I will shout it out so that the whole world can hear me! Vaptsarov’s native land is Bulgaria. There he worked and died. When the silly news broke that Vaptsarov’s poems were translated into his native language – Macedonian – I was taken by surprise. Is there a poet in this world who wrote poems in a foreign language and then the foreign people translated them into his ‘native’ language? I, the poet’s mother, write this with my feeble hand.”Elena Vaptsarova died next year.Desislava ANTOVAread more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Book-A-Week\s-Bulgarian-Ski-Holiday-From-163;290/5510/ Inghams has launched low priced ski holiday deals at three of Bulgaria\'s leading resorts over New Year and in January.The company is offering seven nights\' half-board accommodation at the three-star Edelweiss Hotel in Borovets from £459.50 per person, based on two sharing. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick departing Dec. 26 2009.Inghams is offering seven nights\' half-board accommodation at two hotels departing Jan. 9, 2010. The first option is the four-star Pamporovo Hotel from £290.50 per person in Pamporovo. The second options is the three-star Banderitsa Hotel from £350.50 per person in the popular Bansko resort.Until recently Bansko was not one of the best known ski areas in Bulgaria. But heavy investment right across the ski area and the resort have transformed this small medieval town and its ski area in to a year-round, international destination.Bansko town has a mild climate and yet the snow lasts a long time, often until early May. Recent investment in snowmaking equipment has made the resort even more popular.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/What-matters-is-the-fact-that-the-rescue-operation-was-successful:-Kiril-Rusev/5506/ Sofia. "What matters is the fact that the rescue operation on the search for the tourists that got lost in the Pirin Mountain was successful - the people we found are alive and in good condition. The tourists are almost unhurt, in good physical said, conditionally said," Kiril Rusev, director of the Mountain Rescue Service with the Bulgarian Red Cross, told FOCUS News Agency.The lost tourists were fund at about 1.00 pm on Thursday. They have a tent and two bags.“The rescue operation started on Wednesday by rescue teams of the Mountain Rescue Services in the towns of Bansko and Razlong consisting of 18 people,” Rusev said.The rescue operation started at about 10.00 pm on Wednesday and ended up to 4.00 pm on Thursday. The search was suspended for 4 hours during the night over pouring rain in the lower part of the mountain.“The tourist could not reach the place pointed as the place of the incident - under the Koncheto shelter but in the southern part. It was supposed the people have sheltered in there. We were close to the place when we were informed that the people were found,” Rusev noted.read more... http://www.maxconsult.bg/real-estate/bulgaria/property-news/Ninth-International-Mountain-Film-Festival-Bansko-2009-–-awards/5502/ The jury of Ninth International Film Festival for Mountains, Extreme Sports and Adventures, Bansko 2009 after watching the movies, part of competition programme, D E C I D E D:The following awards are adjudging:1) Grand prix – to: “Berhault”, France, 2008, Gilles Chappaz, Raphael Lassabliere, 69’2) Judge Special Award – to: “In Nansen footsteps. Through Franc Josef Land”, Norway, 2009, Borge Ousland, Thomas Ulrich, 53’3) Award for Bulgarian short film for Mountains, Extreme sports and Adventures ( for Bulgarian filmmakers only ) – to: “Goleshovo”, United Kingdom/ Bulgaria, 2008, Ilian Metev, 34’4) Municipality of Bansko Award for the film of special cultural values – to: “The wooden carpet”, Iran, 2008, Abdolrahman Mirani, 20’5) Award for complete realization in extreme conditions – to: “Oltre la parete”/ “Beyond the wall”, Italy, 2009, Elio Orlandi, 36’6) Prize of the Bansko Tourist` s Busyness Union for the film on alpine sport, exploration or adventure – to: “Carstensz – the seventh summit”, Slovakia, 2008, Pavol Barabáš, 45’ and for cycle of four films “Polskie Himalaje”/ “Polish Himalayas”, Polska, 2008, Anna-Maria Filipow, Krzysztof Wielicki, Jen Szeroki.Millet One Sport Everest Boot for Spring 2009 has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Augusto Golin (president, Italy)Mariana Evstatieva – Biolcheva ( Bulgaria )John Porter (Great Britain)Mihail Mihailov ( Bulgaria )Radoslav Spasov ( Bulgaria )Rumen Stoichkov ( Bulgaria )Janusz Mayer ( Poland )Official guest of the festival were Kurt Diemberger (Austria), Michael Brown (USA), Veikka Gustafsson (Finland), Alessandro Anderloni (Italy)Bansko, Warm regards, Peterread more...