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Representatives of some of the sports clubs in the municipality met with the mayor Dr. Dafov, the manager of OP "Sports Properties and Beaches" ("SIP") and the head of "Sports and Tourism" Todor Bozev on 21 November. The three clubs participated in swimming, skiing, orienteering and wrestling. The meeting became a fact at the insistence of sports circles because of the condition of the base and the lack of financial assistance from the municipality. First of all, the situation with the lack of hot mineral water for the Indoor Basin was clarified due to the inclusion of illegal users. In 20 days, a state championship is forthcoming, the city clubs are preparing competitors for the national teams, training has failed, and many of the children are ill because of the cold water. Not to wait for decisions from Pazardzhik or Sofia, but to take measures on the spot, because if the temperatures drop and the installation freezes, the Indoor pool as a sports facility will not recover, would alarm Hristo Doxinov from the Chepinets PK and asked to seal the cranes of Bulgarcvet company owned by Dr. K. Coppe.

The mayor announced that an official opinion had been received from RIEW - Pazardzhik, according to which the transmission system of the mineral voza from Vlasa spring is a public municipal property (so far it was not known whose network it is). As such, it will be included in the capital of "SIP" and the municipality will have to take care of maintenance, but will also be able to control illegal users. Dr. Dafov announced that he appoints a commission with representatives of "SIP", HEI, the Police Department of the Ministry of Interior and sports clubs, which will have the right to close the taps of those who without the appropriate permit draw water from the "Vlasa" spring. Other problems of the pool were also discussed: the interior lighting will be changed and the area will be illuminated as the children train until dark. There are funds to repair the training hall, pleased the swimmers N. Todev. He reminded that he expected proposals from all clubs where the arrived from the lottery "5 out of 35" total of 4800 leva would be invested. The other main problem was related to the request to hold a session of the Municipal Council only for sport. Everyone insisted on exploring the experience of the other municipalities and getting into the relationship between the municipality and the clubs in terms of the base and financial assistance. According to the mayor, such a session could have as early as January, and the budget for next year is highly restrictive. He reported that for the last 2 years the municipality has given 3850 leva for sports events. Once again it was commented why the money from the sports facilities in the "SIP" is not returned as investments or help to the clubs. Once again, N. Todev explained the legal frameworks that make this impossible: the profit from "SIP" goes to the total pool of the municipal budget and then is spent on the priorities set by the IMF, among which is not sports. The big conflict is that one takes care of the sports base and another develops sports activities, said Ivan Lebanov of the Chepinets SC. Thus, the ski club was brought to the position of not developing activity, not accepting new children and was left homeless. At the same time, the municipality announced a coffee shop "Sports Meeting" for privatization, although over the years it has become a natural training center of winter sports, made with a lot of effort by the clubs. According to Mr. Lebanov, this attitude of the municipality disagrees with the idea to develop tourism, including the project for winter ski center "Sutka", for which it is nice that Velingrad has its own professional staff. The mayor promised that if the Ski Club agreed, the pastry shop could be taken out of the privatisation programme or another suitable municipal site could be sought. On behalf of the orienteering and biathlon clubs, Mr. Gulev speaks. He recalled that in the past Velingrad hosted a world championship in orienteering, and in recent years it cannot organize a republican one as well. The federation came, but the municipality ignored them and the people went to Devin, and now they are going to have a world championship in Borovets. The two clubs work with many children, but lately the situation is impossible - the shed next to Velyova banya is without electricity, it is crumbling, it is cold. There are 5-6 types of sports in Velingrad, which have given a lot to the city and should not be interfered with, and the municipality should help them, Mr. Gulev urged. In response, the mayor committed to clarifying at last the ownership of the shed or the municipality to provide another room. At the meeting, the clubs received promises to solve the most pressing problems. The big problem, however, remained hanging. It is no accident that in the final Ivan Lebanov repeated that the contradiction base - activity will continue, and Anton Mitrov gave an example that everywhere in the other municipalities the base is given for free use of the clubs as the municipality takes over the alimony. Georgi Kostadinov asked what is the salary fund of "SIP" and Nikola Todev replied that it is about 25 000 leva per year. This figure also remains part of the contradiction: athletes are convinced that they will manage the base better than the "SIP" and so will be able to earn their own money, not wait for someone's favor. Elena Baeva