Bulgaria's Govt Reverses Controversial National Park Plans

Interim Environment Minister Irina Kostova on Tuesday revoked her decision to pass a plan for Pirin National Park without an environmental impact assessment.

Kostova at a briefing cited the serious public reaction to the development.

Her decision followed a statement from President Rumen Radev, who wrote on Facebook the ruling had been premature.

Earlier, however, interim Prime Minister Ognyan Gerdzhikov and the head of a nationalist party argued authorities should proceed with the plan, while the activists were serving other groups' interests.

Environmentalists held a protest in the center of Sofia despite the move to ditch the plan.