Bulgarians In Space Property Buying Spree

MOON DAILY

Denislav Stoichev, co-ordinator of the first Lunar Embassy in Bulgaria, shows Lunar and Martian maps on a screen in the town of Plovdiv. Photo courtesy of AFP.

by Staff Writers
Plovdiv, Bulgaria (AFP) Mar 24, 2006
Bulgarians were warned Thursday by a self-styled Lunar Embassy to hurry to buy real estate on the moon as only a limited number of properties were left for sale. "We have already had over 30 orders since we opened the embassy two days ago," its "coordinator" Denislav Stoichev said.

"A one-acre property on the moon will cost you 40 leva (20 euros, 24 dollars)," although plots on Mars and Jupiter's moon Io were also available, he added.

The Plovdiv lunar embassy is the first in Bulgaria but one of dozens around the world, licensed by the Galactic Government's CEO -- in this case, Celestial Executive Officer -- US entrepreneur Dennis Hope.

In 1980 Hope proclaimed himself the owner of the moon and all planets and satellites in the solar system (except for the Earth), by exploiting a loophole in the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty, which states space property "is not subject to national appropriation" but says nothing about private or corporate owners.

"Most people here take it more as a joke, a funny present for someone's birthday," Stoichev said, adding, however, "in another 100 years we might be living on the moon or Mars and I want to be one of the first colonists."

He is not the only one. The late Pope John Paul II, former US President Richard Nixon, pop icon Madonna and NASA officials are also proud owners of moon plots, Stoichev said.

Some 327 Bulgarians have already bought lots through the Internet and orders are streaming into the Plovdiv Embassy.

Only one billion lots are left for sale. The lucky owners will receive a lunar deed certificate, with the coordinates of their plot and their signature, as proof of their ownership.

But there are certain lunar codes: "Absolutely no weapons shall be tolerated, ever!" on the moon and littering will lead to "exorbitant" fines, the lunar primary law reads.

Last October, a lunar embassy in China was shut down as a government watchdog called its sale of space property fraudulent and illegal.

Source: Agence France-Presse

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