[size=55:1c1jhcmy]novinite 12 August 2010

Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains Might Shelter Russians from Smog

Over 6 500 Russian children and their families can escape the smog overpowering the Russian capital by staying in Bulgaria’s beautiful Rhodope Mountains.

According to the Bulgarian daily “Standart,” the Mayor of the Rhodopes city of Smolyan, Dora Yankova, after consulting with municipal experts and assessing the accommodations in the city, the nearby ski resort Pamporovo, and the resort areas known as the Smolyan Lakes and Raykovski Livadi (Meadows), has sent an official invitation to accept thousands of residents of Moscow and its subburbs.

In the letter, mailed to the Governor of the Moscow Region, Boris Gromov, Yankova says as many as 6 516 people, including entire families can come and stay for as long as they want while children can even be enrolled in local schools.

2 150 can be accommodated in Smolyan while hotels in nearby resorts will take the rest.

“If the Moscow Governor accepts the offer we will immediately form a task force at the City Hall to coordinate and carry out all activities,” Yankova says.

The dangerous smog was caused by wildfires devastating Russia and its capital for weeks.

These were the worst fires in modern Russian history. The national death toll attributed directly to the forest blaze mounted to 52 and up to 2000 homes have been destroyed, leaving scores homeless.