The Simeonovo lift, located on Vitosha Mountain, has ceased operations permanently due to unavailability of necessary parts, as reported by Mediapool citing TechnoAlpin, the Italian company that owns Vitosha Ski, responsible for the mountain's facilities. The lift, which connected Simeonovo district to higher elevations on the mountain, had been out of service since last year and will not be reopened.

TechnoAlpin confirmed that the Simeonovo lift was the last operational one on Vitosha Mountain. Unfortunately, the decision to close it indefinitely was made due to the unavailability of essential components required for its operation.

While there has been no official statement on the Vitosha Ski website regarding the closure, it's noted that the facilities are non-operational due to maintenance reasons.

The halt of the Simeonovo lift during the early part of the winter season last year prompted an investigation initiated by Vasil Terziev, the newly elected mayor of the capital. However, no findings from this investigation have been made public.

Originally put into service in 1982, the Simeonovo lift served as an experimental facility for the manufacturer Doppelmayr. However, prior to the privatization of the facilities by Vitosha Ski in 2007, the lift was reportedly not well-maintained. The lack of proper upkeep and the absence of original spare parts procurement contributed to the rapid deterioration of the lift, leading the manufacturer to discontinue the supply of spare parts.

According to Doppelmayr's recommendation, compliance with EU standards for such facilities is essential. European directives stipulate that spare parts for such facilities must be procured directly from the manufacturers or their authorized dealers. Consequently, the unavailability of necessary parts has led to the permanent cessation of operations for the Simeonovo lift.