Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria’s forests face serious systemic risks due to outdated policy planning, weak data and declining forest health, according to a newly adopted opinion by the Economic and Social Council made public Friday. In its opinion titled “Forests as a Strategic Resource in the Context of Sustainable Management and Economic Development”, adopted at a plenary session, the Council warns that the most acute problem is the absence of an updated National Forest Strategy following the expiration of the previous one in 2020.
The Council also points to a failure to carry out a national forest inventory using EU-harmonized methods, resulting in a lack of reliable data, inconsistent policymaking and risks to Bulgaria’s ability to meet its European commitments.
The report highlights a worrying deterioration in the phytosanitary condition of forests, particularly conifer plantations outside their natural habitats and coppice forests, which account for more than half of the country’s forested areas. Insufficient active forest management and the accumulation of biomass are said to be increasing vulnerability to forest fires, pests and other large-scale damage.
According to the Council, the forestry sector is lagging behind in modernization, suffering from labour shortages and facing a demographic collapse in mountain regions. The opinion calls for the urgent adoption of a new long-term forest strategy and a reform of the sector’s management model.
The previous National Strategy for Development of the Forest Sector (2013–2020) defined forestry as a pillar of sustainable development and regional livelihoods, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, according to information published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.The Economic and Social Council is an advisory body bringing together representatives of employers’ organizations, trade unions and civil society. It issues opinions, analyses and resolutions on economic, social and labour-related policies, either at the request of parliament or the government or on its own initiative. Its recommendations are not legally binding, and authorities are not required to implement them, but they carry political weight as part of Bulgaria’s institutionalized social dialogue and are often cited in policymaking and EU-related consultations. Bulgaria Lacks Up-to-Date Forest Strategy, Risks EU Commitments, Economic and Social Council Warns 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-02-27 16:29:21 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law