Today Vasil Terziev published information that he asked me to resign as chief architect. I have no intention of resigning. And I am ready to debate my every decision with anyone who is ready to do it face to face with me.
I am writing this position in my capacity as chief architect of the Sofia Municipality from the hospital bed where I have been on systems since last week.
I am writing from my personal profile because I do not have access to my page as a public figure on Facebook, I do not have access to the page of the NAG, whose head I am still.
The mayor of the capital has not spoken to me face to face since 24.10. Yesterday, after he was informed that I was in hospital, he sent me a text message from Brazil, where he is currently, telling me “I thought a lot and came to a decision that I want to stop our joint work.”
This is what the chief architect of Sofia, Bogdana Panayotova, wrote on her Facebook page, after it became known today that Vasil Terziev had asked her to resign. Here are more words from Arch. Panayotova:
According to his Facebook post, the problem lies in urban planning, but he has all the powers and responsibility to do everything he considers necessary in this area, because with my assumption of office, he took all his rights under the ZUT with him, for which he supported and assisted.
Today I could not publish another important news for Sofia residents and for the people who have been fighting against the development of the Boyana Swamp for years. On 03.11.2025, colleagues from the National Anti-Corruption Agency together with the “Vitosha“ district conducted a joint inspection. A statement of findings was drawn up on the basis of Art. 224 of the ZUT to stop construction. No construction should be carried out in the Boyana Swamp. The issued statement is in the process of being handed over to the interested parties.
And this is all the news that was stopped:
New inspections of construction sites near water bodies in Sofia are coming
In implementation of the initiated revision of construction permits near uncorrected riverbeds and ravines, the team of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning (NAG), together with the district administrations, is starting new inspections of construction sites in the capital.
The inspections were initiated as a result of the workshop held at NAG, dedicated to the complex problems related to the management and protection of riverbeds, as well as the need for more effective coordination between institutions.
The workshop was initiated by the Chief Architect of the Sofia Municipality, Arch. Bogdana Panayotova, who emphasized that the goal is to create a sustainable mechanism for inter-institutional cooperation in order to prevent risky construction practices and environmental damage.
The discussion was attended by representatives of:�Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW), Ministry of Agriculture and Food, DNSK, Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre, „Basin Directorate“, RIEW – Sofia, „Geoprotection Pernik“, „Sofia Water“ AD, „Irrigation Systems“, „GIS – Sofia“ EOOD, OP „Sofiaplan“, as well as representatives of professional chambers and non-governmental organizations, including KAB, KIIP, Chamber of Builders in Bulgaria, Union of Architects in Bulgaria, etc.
As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to begin a targeted inspection of all construction sites located near uncorrected riverbeds and ravines, as well as to prepare an interdepartmental protocol for coordination in issuing construction permits in risk zones.
The Chief Architect of the Sofia Municipality, Arch. Bogdana Panayotova, stated that The aim is to conduct a full analysis of construction in the risk areas and prevent future incidents.
So far, the following inspections have been carried out along the Dragalevska River in its uncorrected part:
1. Construction in the Lozenets region – a statement of findings was drawn up and served on the basis of Art. 224(a) of the ZTA to suspend construction
2. Construction near the Boyanskoto blato – on 03.11.2025, a joint inspection was carried out by employees of the NAG and the Vitosha region. A statement of findings was drawn up on the basis of Art. 224(a) of the ZTA to suspend construction. The issued act is in the process of being served on the interested parties.
3. Construction near Dragalevska Reka, in the Vitosha region - the construction permit for the same was canceled by Order of the Regional Development and Construction Commission of 29.07.2025.
Today, another construction site is to be inspected near Dragalevska Reka, in the Lozenets region.
Currently, the team of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning (DAG) is inspecting properties with issued building permits located in the contact zones of water bodies on the territory of the Sofia Municipality. The idea is that in the event of construction not having started or not progressing, with a Permit issued in recent months in uncorrected parts of watercourses, timely measures will be taken.
The inspections will be carried out in stages and according to a pre-prepared schedule, with the aim of covering all identified cases of construction near uncorrected riverbeds and ravines.
The results of the inspections will be publicly announced by the National Environmental Agency after the completion of each stage of the work.
After the deadline for objections to the drawn up statements of findings has expired and in the event of failure to submit evidence that the requirements of the Factories Act and the Environmental Protection Act have been met, orders to stop construction will be issued on the basis of Art. 224a of the Spatial Planning Act (by the Mayor of the Sofia Municipality or the Mayor of a District)