Alpine skiing
Add news
News

Doubts Raised over Girardelli Ownership of Bulgarian Ski Resort

0 9

Luxembourg skiing legend Marc Girardelli's claim that he owns Bulgaria's biggest ski resort -- which environmentalists say is damaging the surrounding national park -- drew widespread scepticism in Bulgaria on Wednesday, reports AFP.

MPs and environmentals were among those casting doubt on Tuesday's announcement by five-time winner of the Alpine skiing World Cup that in 2016 he had bought the Ulen company that runs the Bansko resort in south-western Bulgaria.

"It is evident that the Bulgarian economy is changing hands between stooges," said socialist opposition MP Krum Zarkov in reference to Ulen's opaque ownership and allegations that the sports hero is serving as a front to whitewash the resort's image.

The resort has been at the centre of controversy for years, with campaigners accusing Ulen of breach of contract and of using much more territory from the majestic pine forests of Pirin National Park than is allowed by the resort's concession. Environmentaists say the damage to the park is irreparable.

The investigative website bivol.bg fuelled more speculation on Bansko's ownership by publishing documents showing that Girardelli's name was nowhere to be found in the official registers listing Ulen's owners.

According to these papers, Ulen's ownership goes through a complex structure of holding companies, with the eventual owner being a Cypriot national called Augusta Papadopoulou.

However Bulgaria's environment ministry said late on Monday that Girardelli, 55, had furnished it with documents showing that he had been the ultimate controller of Ulen since 2016.

The ex-star skier refused to provide further details of the purchase, citing confidentiality reasons.

Ulen's ownership has been shrouded in mystery, with the president of the Bulgarian Ski Federation Tseko Minev widely considered to be the company's owner.

Environmentalists said that Girardelli's surprise revelation was just another attempt to improve Ulen's image amid controversy over the way it has run Bansko.

"If Girardelli had acquired this company in 2016, he would have announced it to attract tourists," environmentalist Lyubomir Kostadinov commented on the public BNR radio.

"To my mind, the real owner is still unknown," said another environmental campaigner, Toma Belev from For The Nature coalition, calling for an audit into payments made by the skier for the acquisition.

The coalition has been pushing for the cancellation of the Bansko resort's concession for years, accusing Ulen of building more ski-lifts and runs than allowed and inflicting irreparable damage on the surrounding pine forests.

They have called a rally in Sofia on 27 December in defence of Pirin National Park.

Загрузка...

Comments

Комментарии для сайта Cackle
Загрузка...

More news:

Professional Ski Instructors of America Rocky Mountain Division

Read on Sportsweek.org:

Oann.com (One America News Network)
Avax.news
Avax.news
Oann.com (One America News Network)

Other sports

Sponsored