Tweet
I don't know if this has been brought to light here already, but I found the story of Albena Simeonova who opposes the Belene nuclear power in Bulgaria quite interesting.
Her live is being threatened openly and has since employed two bodyguards.
Information about her:
About the death threat she received:
Go Albena go!
Btw, I am reading a nice blog of a information campaign from greenpeace (they go with a ship from Austria to the black sea) for renewable energy. It's german: http://www.greenpeace.at/logbuch.html
Her live is being threatened openly and has since employed two bodyguards.
Information about her:
Albena Simeonova
"The environment is what I live for."
Bulgaria
Environmental Policy
In Eastern Europe, fledgling democracies are dealing with economies that are in shambles and a desperate need for energy and clean water. Environmental activists in these countries often find themselves being portrayed as obstructionists. Despite illness and opposition, Albena Simeonova has bravely addressed the lack of public involvement in environmental issues in Bulgaria.
Trained as a biology teacher, Simeonova worked as a senior ecologist for the city of Botevgrad on environmental issues before the democratic changes in Bulgaria. Simeonova later became the executive director of the Foundation for Ecological Education and Training (FEET), founded by the Bulgarian Green Party in 1991. Campaigning against the construction of nuclear power plants, in 1994 Simeonova organized the first public debate between the proponents and opponents of nuclear power. One of Simeonova's most successful and novel initiatives to date has been the creation of "Ecological Inspectorates" at the local level. Citizens call to report local environmental problems and get a swift, independent response from professionals. Sometimes Simeonova alone responds. Following her lead, municipalities have now organized their own "Eco-Inspectorates," or have provided funding to NGOs to start them. The original four inspectorate programs have grown to 25 and more are being planned.
Seeing the need for nationwide coordination amongst environmental NGOs, in 1993 Simeonova persuaded environmental groups in Bulgaria to come together in an association called the Green Parliament. She also has involved citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to address the problems of trans-boundary pollution. As vice president of the Bulgarian Green Party, in 1995 Simeonova organized a dialogue involving members of the Green Parties of Western and Eastern Europe. In 1996 Simeonova co-founded the Bulgarian Green Federation. Though not a lawyer herself, she has written municipal environmental regulations. In 1997 Simeonova helped establish the Green Justice Association, which works together with local authorities and NGOs to create new environmental legislation.
Source: http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipien...recipientID=48
"The environment is what I live for."
Bulgaria
Environmental Policy
In Eastern Europe, fledgling democracies are dealing with economies that are in shambles and a desperate need for energy and clean water. Environmental activists in these countries often find themselves being portrayed as obstructionists. Despite illness and opposition, Albena Simeonova has bravely addressed the lack of public involvement in environmental issues in Bulgaria.
Trained as a biology teacher, Simeonova worked as a senior ecologist for the city of Botevgrad on environmental issues before the democratic changes in Bulgaria. Simeonova later became the executive director of the Foundation for Ecological Education and Training (FEET), founded by the Bulgarian Green Party in 1991. Campaigning against the construction of nuclear power plants, in 1994 Simeonova organized the first public debate between the proponents and opponents of nuclear power. One of Simeonova's most successful and novel initiatives to date has been the creation of "Ecological Inspectorates" at the local level. Citizens call to report local environmental problems and get a swift, independent response from professionals. Sometimes Simeonova alone responds. Following her lead, municipalities have now organized their own "Eco-Inspectorates," or have provided funding to NGOs to start them. The original four inspectorate programs have grown to 25 and more are being planned.
Seeing the need for nationwide coordination amongst environmental NGOs, in 1993 Simeonova persuaded environmental groups in Bulgaria to come together in an association called the Green Parliament. She also has involved citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to address the problems of trans-boundary pollution. As vice president of the Bulgarian Green Party, in 1995 Simeonova organized a dialogue involving members of the Green Parties of Western and Eastern Europe. In 1996 Simeonova co-founded the Bulgarian Green Federation. Though not a lawyer herself, she has written municipal environmental regulations. In 1997 Simeonova helped establish the Green Justice Association, which works together with local authorities and NGOs to create new environmental legislation.
Source: http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipien...recipientID=48
LEADING BULGARIAN ANTI-NUCLEAR ACTIVIST RECEIVES DEATH THREAT
Prague / Sofia (8 March 2005) – One of the leading people in the opposition against the planned Bulgarian nuclear power station Belene, Mrs. Albena Simeonova, 40 (1), has received a threat on her life. Greenpeace, supported by other international organisations like Bankwatch, Friends of the Earth Europe, WISE/NIRS and others, have contacted the Bulgarian government to urge them to do everything possible to secure the safety of Mrs. Simeonova.
After having received several anonymous threats over telephone over the last months, two men came approached Albena Simeonova personally and threatened to kill her if she would not leave her home region of Nikopol , and give up her opposition against the Belene nuclear power plant. The men claimed to speak on behalf of the TIM trade group. This group is rumoured to be granted the contract for security work and supply delivery at Belene. Police investigations into the matter have in the mean time started. Mrs. Simeonova is one of the largest organic farmers in Bulgaria and her fields are all in the 30 km zone around the projected Belene plant. She is a well known critic of the Belene project, and for these efforts and her other outstanding environmental work she received in 1996 the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
“I know who the people involved are, and am afraid I need to take the threat very seriously,” said Mrs. Simeonova. She added: “But this does not mean I will stop my resistance against Belene nor my work on organic farming in the region around it. Belene is a threat and completely unnecessary for Bulgaria and for the region I live in.” In the early 1990s, Albena Simeonova was already one of the leaders of a strong movement in Bulgaria that stopped plans for building a nuclear power station near Belene in 1992. The plans for building were revived in 2003, and Mrs. Simeonova was one of the first people to ask attention for the problems that the project would create. She alerted national and international organisations on the upcoming plans and since has been one of the motors behind resistance against Belene (2). “Already in the early 1990s it was clear that you could not build a nuclear power station in a seismic active area like here. But on top of that, there are so many alternatives!” says Simeonova, “My country is one of the least energy efficient countries in Europe , and it has so much to offer in renewable energy. But our energy policy is governed by short sighted political and financial interests. Because the arguments fail, obviously mafia practices must help push through the project.”
Source: http://terraiii.ngo.ro/acten.htm
Prague / Sofia (8 March 2005) – One of the leading people in the opposition against the planned Bulgarian nuclear power station Belene, Mrs. Albena Simeonova, 40 (1), has received a threat on her life. Greenpeace, supported by other international organisations like Bankwatch, Friends of the Earth Europe, WISE/NIRS and others, have contacted the Bulgarian government to urge them to do everything possible to secure the safety of Mrs. Simeonova.
After having received several anonymous threats over telephone over the last months, two men came approached Albena Simeonova personally and threatened to kill her if she would not leave her home region of Nikopol , and give up her opposition against the Belene nuclear power plant. The men claimed to speak on behalf of the TIM trade group. This group is rumoured to be granted the contract for security work and supply delivery at Belene. Police investigations into the matter have in the mean time started. Mrs. Simeonova is one of the largest organic farmers in Bulgaria and her fields are all in the 30 km zone around the projected Belene plant. She is a well known critic of the Belene project, and for these efforts and her other outstanding environmental work she received in 1996 the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
“I know who the people involved are, and am afraid I need to take the threat very seriously,” said Mrs. Simeonova. She added: “But this does not mean I will stop my resistance against Belene nor my work on organic farming in the region around it. Belene is a threat and completely unnecessary for Bulgaria and for the region I live in.” In the early 1990s, Albena Simeonova was already one of the leaders of a strong movement in Bulgaria that stopped plans for building a nuclear power station near Belene in 1992. The plans for building were revived in 2003, and Mrs. Simeonova was one of the first people to ask attention for the problems that the project would create. She alerted national and international organisations on the upcoming plans and since has been one of the motors behind resistance against Belene (2). “Already in the early 1990s it was clear that you could not build a nuclear power station in a seismic active area like here. But on top of that, there are so many alternatives!” says Simeonova, “My country is one of the least energy efficient countries in Europe , and it has so much to offer in renewable energy. But our energy policy is governed by short sighted political and financial interests. Because the arguments fail, obviously mafia practices must help push through the project.”
Source: http://terraiii.ngo.ro/acten.htm
Btw, I am reading a nice blog of a information campaign from greenpeace (they go with a ship from Austria to the black sea) for renewable energy. It's german: http://www.greenpeace.at/logbuch.html
Comment