Stefanovo Airstrip

Economic reasons. The airstrip was part of the state-owned Agricultural Aviation (Селскостопанска авиация) enterprise. Following the end of the communist era in Bulgaria in 1989 and the subsequent transition to a market economy, the centralized, state-funded agricultural aviation system was dissolved. The high operational costs, the privatization of farmland, and the overall economic restructuring made small, specialized airstrips like Stefanovo economically unviable, leading to their abandonment.

The site has been completely repurposed and is no longer recognizable as an airstrip. The land is now occupied by a large-scale photovoltaic power plant (solar park). The flat, open, and cleared nature of the former airfield made it an ideal location for the installation of thousands of solar panels. Satellite imagery confirms the entire length of the former runway and surrounding areas are covered by this solar farm.

Stefanovo Airstrip was a key component of Bulgaria's extensive agricultural aviation network during the socialist period. Its primary purpose was to support the large-scale, collectivized farming operations in the highly fertile Dobrudzha region, often called the 'breadbasket of Bulgaria'. Operations almost exclusively involved utility aircraft, most notably the Antonov An-2 biplane, which performed tasks such as crop dusting, aerial seeding, fertilization, and pest control. The airstrip was not intended for passenger or significant cargo transport but was a vital logistical hub for agricultural productivity in the region.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airstrip. The construction of the major photovoltaic power plant on the property represents a long-term, high-value land use change. Reverting the site to an airfield would require the complete removal of the multi-million dollar energy infrastructure, making any such prospect practically and financially impossible.