Local landowners tore down the posters of environmentalists who protested against the construction works in Irakli, a protected coastal area included in EU's NATURA 2000 Program.

The eco-activists' rally of 100 people gathered early on Sunday morning close to the village of Emona on the coastal road. However, they were met by an anti-rally of locals from the villages of Banya, Emona, and Sveti Vlas who own land in the area, and are in favor of continuing resort construction in the area.

The rallies were guarded by 20 police officers who prevented the eruption of an outright fighting but the two groups did come into close contact shouting insults at each other, the Bulgarian National Radio reported.

Bulgarian environmentalists are protesting against the launch of construction works in the protected coastal area Irakli-Emine by the investor Swiss Properties.

According to the protesters, Swiss Properties had not submitted an official document that proves there are no rare animal and plant species, whose existence is threatened due to the building of the new resort complex in Irakli. The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Waters in the seaside city of Burgas announced it is going to impose a BGN 20,000 fine on the investor.

Irakli, located in the northern part of Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, is a protected area facing the threat of being wiped out by urbanization and expanding ventures. The desire to protect one of the few wild beaches in Bulgaria has gathered together hundreds of people from across the country in a grassroots movement, called "Let's save Irakli!"

"New photos, shot a week ago, show that despite Brussels' threat to freeze all structural funds in case of invasion into NATURA 2000 zones, the investor Swiss Properties has started huge construction works in the area," reads a statement, published on the site of the grassroots movement.

"The start of construction works in Irakli violates not only the European legislation, but also a number of Bulgarian laws," the statement goes on.

Private landowners in the Irakli area hope to benefit from the resort complex development, and are against the construction ban.

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