Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, declared he is halting the controversial Forestry Act until full consensus is reached.

Borisov promised to not allow any readings of the Act in the Parliament until the texts are ironed out to the satisfaction of all interested sides.

Speaking in the southwestern town of Dupnitsa, the PM added he is happy about the Saturday decision of President Rosen Plevneliev to veto the legislation in full.

He, however, stressed that it was not right to block major road arteries such as key junctions in the capital Sofia or international thoroughfares and that the Parliament is the only place to present arguments.

Thousands of Bulgarian nature lovers and other citizens opposing the Forestry Act, passed in the Parliament at second reading last Wednesday, have been staging protest rallies in the area of the key intersection of Orlov Most (Eagles Bridge) in Sofia ever since that evening, while people from the winter resorts of Bansko and Razlog organized Sunday a counter protest, blocking the E-79 road to Greece.

Borisov appealed to everyone to speak up – those who want investments in tourism and those who fear the legislation will destroy one of the country's last resources – the forests.

"I have always listened to the public opinion and have taken it to account. I would not allow the mafia to use this unrest to discredit me. It was my government that imposed a moratorium on the scandalous land swaps. I would not give the chance to organized crime ringleaders, currently in jail, to manipulate people from there, to monopolies and cartels to attack us by using citiznes' fears," the PM declared.

Borisov visited Dupnitsa to open a new sports field.

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