Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

190 athletes and coaches remain stranded by snow at Belmeken sports base

Photo: BGNES

Bulgaria's Minister of Sports Radostin Vassilev has asked the Minister of Defense Stefan Yanevfor  military equipment with which to urgently send an additional electricity generator to the mountain sports base Belmeken. Since January 11, due to interrupted electricity supply caused by the heavy snowfall, the complex has been heated by a diesel generator. 

190 athletes and coaches, including foreigners, are now stranded at the base, but continue to train, despite the lack of hot water.

The military officers are expected to reach the base and deliver the necessary equipment on January 16th. 

The Belmeken base is located at 2,050 metres above sea level between the Rhodope Mountains and Rila Mountain near the Belmeken Dam. The nearest settlement is Velingrad.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Opposition calls for occupation of parliament

"We Continue the Change" (PP) party called for a protest and blockade of the National Assembly building to stop the adoption of the budget for next year. The MPs are discussing the budget at first reading. PP received support for..

published on 11/21/25 2:04 PM

Foreign students in Bulgaria have more than doubled for 10 years

The share of foreign students in Bulgaria has more than doubled in the last decade. In 2013, they were nearly 4 percent while in 2025 their number reaches 9% of active students. This is indicated by the annual Ranking of Higher..

published on 11/21/25 1:49 PM

Bulgaria has coordinated a major international operation against antiquities trafficking

Over 3,000 antiques worth more than EUR 100 million have been seized in an international operation, coordinated from Sofia, the Greek police reported.  One of the largest antiquities smuggling networks has been dismantled with the support of Europol..

published on 11/21/25 11:01 AM