Viliyan Krastev – SPATIAL MANIFESTATION OF POWER IN MODERN GEOPOLITICS

DOI: 10.7546/PG.1-2.2024.01
The article is devoted to the explanation in modern geopolitics as a matter of knowledge. Basic conceptual and geopolitical analysis categories such as “space”, “power” and “force” are examined. Also, the factors of accumulating power with the creation of force fields polarizing space, the subjects of geopolitics as well as the resulting processes of rivalry, expansion and dominance are presented. Among the dimensions of power expressing the “weight” of geopolitical actors, special attention is given to “soft power” in the context of critical geopolitics. In semantic terms, “soft power” carries features of symbolic and figurative meaning, representing the main intangible capital of the subjects to achieve dominance and competitiveness. The thesis is defended that geopolitics as a knowledge aims at spatially identifying the forms of power and strength from different entities (territorial-political, economic, institutional) with relative continuity over time. This feature is determined by tracking trends in the behavior of geopolitical actors and regularities in the manifestation of the factors for achieving power. Due to latent processes and opportunities not realized in history, the explanation in geopolitics is not always unambiguous. It cannot be crudely patterned and reduced to simplistic interpretations from the time of the classical period. The explanation in geopolitics also is required dialectics, and on its basis – hypotheses, scenarios, forecasts.

Keywords: geopolitics, power, force, space, expansion

Krasimir Asenov – METAPHYSICS OF THE CITY. URBANOGENESIS AND MYTHOLOGY (Part One)

DOI: 10.7546/PG.1-2.2024.02
Although orthodox science has well-founded theories regarding the urbanogenesis of the present-day civilization, the lack of a universal definition of the phenomenon of the city and the reasons for its origins, development, rise, and decline continue to preoccupy researchers even in the postmodern era. To what extent are the imposed scientific theories related to the chronotope and the reasons for the formation of the first human settlements and urbanized structures, relevant? How does the city happen? What lies beyond the walls of the material city? Why does every city thrive thanks to its metaphysical core – divine origins, myths and mythical heroes, legends, urban stories, and folklore? To what extent does the desacralization of the city and urban spaces distance the man from his original existence, destroying the connection between Man, Nature and God?
This article (comprising of two parts) is an attempt to answer these questions through the lens of cultural anthropology and other borderline scientific disciplines.

Keywords: urbanogenesis, metaphysics of the city, transcendence, mythology, urban sacred topoi, Patron Gods

Kalina Tylko – PERCEPTIONS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE PLOVDIV 2019 INITIATIVE AND SPECIFICS OF THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

DOI: 10.7546/PG.1-2.2024.03
The Bulgarian city of Plovdiv hosted the European Capital of Culture initiative in 2019. The local community is one of the most important stakeholders when it comes to tourism impacts including event tourism impacts. The community of Plovdiv has been scarcely studied in regards to the initiative impacts though. This paper attempts to fill this gap. The study aims at: finding out what the attitude of the local community towards European Capital of Culture Plovdiv 2019 is; finding out whether the initiative has motivated a change in the perceptions of the locals to their city and a change in their behavior; determining if the socio-demographic profile of the respondents plays a role in regard to differences in their perceptions. Therefore, a survey has been carried out with 444 representatives of the citizens of Plovdiv. The concept of ‘tourist in their own city’ (Richards, 2016) has served as a basis for part of the questionnaire. The results show that the population of Plovdiv holds predominantly positive attitudes towards European Capital of Culture Plovdiv 2019. The community agrees that the initiative brought benefits to the city, however mostly of short duration. The majority of respondents experienced the phenomenon ‘tourist in their own city’ in regard to Plovdiv hosting the title, whereas many perceived the city in a new way. Differences in the perceptions of the local community have been registered on the basis of the socio-demographic profile, however the results are not statistically significant. The characteristics that account for the differences in the majority of the questions are age, sphere of occupation and participation in the organization of the initiative. The most important contribution of the study is the consideration of the role of the local community as an active participant in the implementation of the events of the European Capital of Culture. As far as we are aware the local community has never been approached in this way in the studies of the initiative impacts until now.

Keywords: European Capital of Culture, tourism impacts, perceptions, local community, Plovdiv

Milena Stefanova – GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE STATE OF THE PM10 INDICATOR FOR THE PERIOD 2020-2023 IN THE CITY OF SOFIA

DOI: 10.7546/PG.1-2.2024.04
The topic of ambient air quality has been extremely topical over the past decade and has been the subject of much discussion and attention due to human health, environmental impacts, climate change, economic challenges, legislation and regulations, and public awareness. Air pollution according to WHO (2012) refers to a change in the natural characteristics of the atmosphere caused by various sources such as domestic combustion, vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires. Of the harmful substances, fine particulate matter (PMP), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are the most studied. Pollutants released into the air in one country can be in the atmosphere and affect air quality elsewhere. Air pollution is a major problem not only for public health but also for the environment worldwide (Brunekreef & Holgate, 2002; Landrigan, 2017). Climate change and biodiversity loss are related to it, which is why it attracts the attention of an increasingly large part of the scientific community. The aim of the present work is to consider, analyze and carry out a geospatial analysis of the quality of the atmospheric air and the concentration of PM10 in the city of Sofia for the period 2020-2023. The choice of the indicator PM10 is due to the fact that fine dust particles with a size of 10 microns are one of the biggest air polluters in the city of Sofia. The most basic and mass pollutant of atmospheric air are fine dust particles (PM). They pose a potential risk to human health when their level is elevated. PMs are a serious air quality problem on a global scale. They are composed of solid particles, small water droplets and chemical substances additionally absorbed on their surface (organic compounds, metals, allergens in the form of pollen fragments, molds, spores. Dust aerosols are formed during: natural processes (storms, volcanoes, earthquakes ); anthropogenic activities (mining industry, construction, etc.); can also be formed as a secondary product of chemical processes taking place in the atmosphere. To carry out the geospatial analysis of atmospheric air quality, the study uses data submitted by the Environmental Executive Agency (EЕА) and results from the installed 22 sensor stations under the “AirThings” pilot project implemented by the Sofia Municipality. Using data from these two sources, a specialized GIS database was created, with the help of which the analysis was carried out. A significant problem with the deployment of air quality sensors is that there are no sensors in central city areas, where, given the presence of increased traffic, some of the highest values of air quality indicators are reported. The network of sensors should be optimized and supplemented by new devices. It is necessary to deploy a large number of new sensors in all parts of the city – e.g. the districts of Lyulin, Obelya, Modern Suburb, Nadezhda, Orlandovtsi, Hadji Dimitar, Levski, Vrazhdebna, Zone B-18, around TPP Sofia, Sofia Airport and large industrial enterprises, on the outskirts of the city, the neighborhoods at the foot of Vitosha and of course, in central city areas and at key intersections – e.g. boulevards “Slivnitsa”, “K. Velichkov”, “Oplchenska”, “Tsarigradsko shose” and the area of Orlov Most, as well as many etc. Despite the significant total number of all exceedances, during the studied period there was a tendency towards a slight decrease in the reported maximum values of PM10, which does not make the air condition healthier for the human body, as the values are again significantly above the norm for health protection.

Keywords: air quality; PM10; GIS; pollution; ambient air quality; geospatial analysis; EEA, “AirThings”

Milena Milenova , Ivan Drenovski , Dragana Đorđević – MINING AS AN ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCE OF POLLUTION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BOSILEGRAD, REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

DOI: 10.7546/PG.1-2.2024.05
The aim of this article is to summarize the available information on the status of water and soil in the area of the municipality of Bosilegrad in the Western outskirts (R. Serbia). The area is strongly influenced by long-term mining and flotation. Data from publications and department reports on the mineral and chemical composition of the ores, as well as on the state of the environment in the study area were used. The ore deposits here are characterised by high concentrations of Zn, Pb and other heavy metals, which are also found in the tailings from the Grot and Karamanica ore field. Heavy metals are found in the soils in the vicinity of the tailings in excess of the maximum permissible concentrations. Due to the high content of heavy metals in the rivers into which the tailings are discharged, their waters cannot be used either for drinking or for irrigation. They are classified as Class 4 and Class 5 according to the standards applied in the Republic of Serbia. There are conditions for transboundary pollution of the Struma River on the territory of Bulgaria. Continued mining and flotation make conservation and recultivation of the tailings dumps at the Grot and Podvirovi mines impossible. In order to improve the condition of the rivers and also the overall ecological status, it is necessary to monitor soil, surface and groundwater pollution and to build modern waste water treatment facilities.

Keywords: mining, heavy metals, tailings dumps, transboundary pollution

Petya Zaharieva, Radoslava Zaharieva, Diana Kirin – SPECIES DIVERSITY OF THE ICHTHYOFAUNA OF THE STRYAMA RIVER

DOI: 10.7546/PG.1-2.2024.06
In the present study, the species diversity of the fish fauna of the Stryama River, a left tributary of the Maritsa River, was examined. Three biotopes were visited along the Stryama River, located in the vicinity of the villages of Pesnopoy, Razhevo Konare and Stryama. A total of 9 fish species were caught – pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Centrarchidae); Bulgarian spined loach, Cobitis strumicae Karaman, 1955 (Cobitidae); bleak, Alburnus alburnus (Linnaeus, 1758); round-scaled barbell, Barbus cyclolepis Heckel, 1837; Chondrostoma vardarense Karaman, 1928; European bitterling, Rhodeus amarus (Bloch, 1782); Orpheus dace, Squalius orpheus Kottelat & Economidis, 2006; Macedonian vimba, Vimba melanops (Heckel, 1837) (Cyprinidae), European perch, Perca fluviatilis Linnaeus, 1758 (Percidae). The conservation status of the caught fish species was examined. For the study, the Margalef total species diversity index (Dmg), Brillouin diversity index (HB), Pielou evenness index (E), Simpson dominance index (C), and Fulton condition factor (K) were calculated.