The document discusses the case of ski lifts on Vitosha Mountain in Bulgaria. It describes how the mountain was originally enjoyed freely by the local community. Ski lifts were later built by the city but privatized in 2007. The private company doubled prices and refused maintenance unless allowed to expand. In 2012, the government quietly passed a law to allow this expansion. Thousands protested within hours, organized on Facebook and word-of-mouth. The President vetoed the law in response to continued daily protests. The community successfully defended the mountain as a common good.

1. Taking informed action toTaking informed action to
preserve the commons inpreserve the commons in
the environmentthe environment
The case of ski lifts on VitoshaThe case of ski lifts on Vitosha
Mountain in BulgariaMountain in Bulgaria

2. Vitosha MountainVitosha Mountain
 This is Vitosha, a mountain massif rising justThis is Vitosha, a mountain massif rising just
above Sofia, capital and biggest city of Bulgaria.above Sofia, capital and biggest city of Bulgaria.

3. Vitosha MountainVitosha Mountain
 Vitosha is located very close to the city and it’s aVitosha is located very close to the city and it’s a
favorite for many people of Sofia who go therefavorite for many people of Sofia who go there
on weekends to enjoy the beautiful landscapeson weekends to enjoy the beautiful landscapes
and fresh air.and fresh air.

4. Voluntary developmentVoluntary development
 Almost 120 years ago, AlekoAlmost 120 years ago, Aleko
Konstantinov, a famousKonstantinov, a famous
Bulgarian writer and publicBulgarian writer and public
figure, invited Sofia’s naturefigure, invited Sofia’s nature
enthusiasts to found a clubenthusiasts to found a club
 It would be modeled afterIt would be modeled after
alpine clubs in Europe, so thatalpine clubs in Europe, so that
its members would help eachits members would help each
other and enjoy their hobbyother and enjoy their hobby
togethertogether
 The founders’ meeting was setThe founders’ meeting was set
up in the summer of 1895 onup in the summer of 1895 on
the highest peak of Vitoshathe highest peak of Vitosha
MountainMountain
 More than 300 people ofMore than 300 people of
different age and social statusdifferent age and social status
showed upshowed up

5. Voluntary developmentVoluntary development
 In the early 20In the early 20thth
century, the new Bulgariancentury, the new Bulgarian
tourist association formed branches all over thetourist association formed branches all over the
country to promote tourist activities:country to promote tourist activities:

Planting trees and protecting the environmentPlanting trees and protecting the environment

Marking trailsMarking trails

Building mountain huts, mostly with volunteer labor,Building mountain huts, mostly with volunteer labor,
materials and financial donationsmaterials and financial donations

Organizing hikesOrganizing hikes

Creating mountain rescue teamsCreating mountain rescue teams

Issuing magazines, newspapers, guidebooksIssuing magazines, newspapers, guidebooks

Holding lectures, organizing art and photographicHolding lectures, organizing art and photographic
exhibitionsexhibitions

6. Public developmentPublic development
 In 1934, Vitosha was officially declared a national park –In 1934, Vitosha was officially declared a national park –
the first one in the country.the first one in the country.
 Starting in the 1950s, the city of Sofia built roads and skiStarting in the 1950s, the city of Sofia built roads and ski
lifts to allow people to easily reach the mountain. Buslifts to allow people to easily reach the mountain. Bus
lines would bring people up to the mountain for a cheaplines would bring people up to the mountain for a cheap
fare.fare.

7. PrivatizationPrivatization
 However, sometimes there were periods of economic difficulty in theHowever, sometimes there were periods of economic difficulty in the
country. The city could not afford to continually finance maintenancecountry. The city could not afford to continually finance maintenance
of the equipment.of the equipment.
 In the 1990s, one of the ski lifts broke down and is still abandoned.In the 1990s, one of the ski lifts broke down and is still abandoned.
The other ones need renovation too.The other ones need renovation too.
 In 2007, the ski lifts on Vitosha were privatized. According to theIn 2007, the ski lifts on Vitosha were privatized. According to the
contract, the private company that bought them would have to investcontract, the private company that bought them would have to invest
in renovation works.in renovation works.

8. PrivatizationPrivatization
 The company became a de facto monopolist,The company became a de facto monopolist,
and has since then doubled the prices forand has since then doubled the prices for
using the ski lifts.using the ski lifts.
 In 2011, in violation of the privatizationIn 2011, in violation of the privatization
contract, they refused to pay forcontract, they refused to pay for
maintenance and renovation of the ski liftsmaintenance and renovation of the ski lifts
until they were allowed to expand businessuntil they were allowed to expand business
by building higher-capacity lifts and byby building higher-capacity lifts and by
cutting trees to make new ski slopes.cutting trees to make new ski slopes.
 Their lawyers and lobbyists pressured theTheir lawyers and lobbyists pressured the
central government to amend the forest lawcentral government to amend the forest law
to allow them to do so without having to goto allow them to do so without having to go
through costly land acquisition proceduresthrough costly land acquisition procedures
and environmental impact assessments.and environmental impact assessments.

9. Public protestsPublic protests
 In June 2012, ParliamentIn June 2012, Parliament
quietly passed the lawquietly passed the law
amendments requested by theamendments requested by the
company.company.
 On the same day, thousandsOn the same day, thousands
of people blocked one of theof people blocked one of the
main roads in Sofia for an hourmain roads in Sofia for an hour
to protest against the decision.to protest against the decision.
 The protest action was notThe protest action was not
announced in advance; it tookannounced in advance; it took
only a few hours to organize itonly a few hours to organize it
on Facebook and the newson Facebook and the news
spread quickly by word-of-spread quickly by word-of-
mouth.mouth.

10. Public protestsPublic protests
 The government tried toThe government tried to
convince people that theconvince people that the
amendments in the law wereamendments in the law were
beneficial, without anybeneficial, without any
success.success.
 Protests continued every day.Protests continued every day.
Four days later, the PresidentFour days later, the President
vetoed the law.vetoed the law.
 The ruling party soon backedThe ruling party soon backed
out and reversed the changes.out and reversed the changes.
 Since then, the companySince then, the company
operating the ski lifts hasoperating the ski lifts has
restored service and stoppedrestored service and stopped
hiking the prices.hiking the prices.

11. ImplicationsImplications
 Even though the ski lifts on Vitosha are no longer publicEven though the ski lifts on Vitosha are no longer public
property, the mountain itself is still seen as a common,property, the mountain itself is still seen as a common,
public good.public good.
 The local community is not opposed to privatization andThe local community is not opposed to privatization and
free-market rules; it accepted private management of thefree-market rules; it accepted private management of the
ski lifts, but refused attempts to unjustly appropriateski lifts, but refused attempts to unjustly appropriate
larger portions of the Vitosha Mountain nature park forlarger portions of the Vitosha Mountain nature park for
private financial gain.private financial gain.
 The June 2012 protests were an example of this senseThe June 2012 protests were an example of this sense
of community created by the commons, and the action ofof community created by the commons, and the action of
“beating the bounds”, making it clear what’s acceptable“beating the bounds”, making it clear what’s acceptable
and what’s not.and what’s not.

12. Lightning fast community actionLightning fast community action
 Modern technologies allow usModern technologies allow us
to spread news quickly, in ato spread news quickly, in a
matter of minutes.matter of minutes.
 One of the main reasons thisOne of the main reasons this
action was successful was thataction was successful was that
it was lightning fast. Theit was lightning fast. The
corporate lobbyists and theircorporate lobbyists and their
friends in government werefriends in government were
unprepared.unprepared.
 If you believe you’ve noticedIf you believe you’ve noticed
an unjustified invasion of aan unjustified invasion of a
common good, start by tellingcommon good, start by telling
all your friends right away.all your friends right away.
Sometimes, this may be allSometimes, this may be all
that it takes to tip the scalesthat it takes to tip the scales
the other way.the other way.