Protest Looms in Bulgaria's Largest Sea Resort

Some 500 hotel and restaurant owners, taxi drivers and salespeople rallied in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria's largest Black Sea resort, against regulations set by the company managing it.

The protesters demanded the immediate resignations of the management of the shareholder company owning the resort, disgruntled over what they claim are illegitimate fees for services and access to local infrastructure.

The protest was triggered by the increased fees imposed by the management for access to the eastern are of the resort.

Hotel owners also claim they pay double fees for the construction of temporary trade facilities – to both the municipality of the town of Nessebar and the company managing Sunny Beach.

The protests of hotel and restaurant owners started Monday, when they blocked the main access road to the resort. Saturday they staged a 30-minute blockade of the road linking the largest Bulgarian Black Sea cities, Varna and Burgas.