The Sofia Municipal Council (SOS) has approved a controversial report that allows a private investor to build a 75-meter skyscraper on almost entirely municipal land on "Alexander Malinov" Blvd. in the "Mladost" district. The decision was adopted with 34 votes "in favor", provoking serious debates in the hall and a sharp public reaction, BNT reports. Some of the municipal councilors and local residents, who define the project as risky for the area, have declared themselves against the provision of the land.
The report was submitted by the mayor of the "Mladost" district Ivaylo Kukurin and envisages the implementation of a public-private partnership.
According to the adopted proposal, a private investor, who owns about 8% of the land, will receive the right to build and will become the owner of approximately 74% of the future building, which is planned to be 22-storey. In return, the Sofia Municipality will receive 30% of the finished building, which will be used for the needs of a new district administration.
The project has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. “Save Sofia“ defined the report as “22-storey corruption“, claiming that the deal harms the municipality and serves private interests. They also emphasized that the “Mladost“ district suffers from a shortage of green spaces and a lack of sufficient parks. Criticism was also expressed by Marta Georgieva from “Democratic Bulgaria“, who stated that the new construction will further burden the area, increase traffic and reduce green spaces, instead of improving the urban environment.
For his part, the mayor of the “Mladost“ district Ivaylo Kukurin defended the project, emphasizing that it represents a form of public-private partnership, which will save the Sofia Municipality significant costs for building administrative infrastructure. According to him, the municipality will receive ready-made premises for the needs of the district administration and serving citizens. Kukurin also stated that the area was planned for higher development in previous development plans and that the project should not be perceived as overdevelopment, but as part of the development of the area.
For or against – a long-standing urban planning case
The project for a 75-meter skyscraper is not new and has a long history, which began during the administration of GERB and Mayor Yordanka Fandakova. As early as 2021-2022, an initial investment interest was expressed by the company “Garanti Koza“, associated with large-scale projects in the area, but subsequently the terrain became a subject of interest from other investors. Then GERB proposed a public-private partnership, but the proposal met with strong resistance from PP-DB and “Spasi Sofia“, who were in opposition at that time and defined it as “hidden privatization“ and “a gift for the investor“. Under public and political pressure, the proposal was then withdrawn.
In 2026, the case returned in an almost identical form, but with a reversal of political roles. The report was submitted by the mayor of the “Mladost“ district Ivaylo Kukurin, a representative of the PP–DB–“Save Sofia“, although it was his political formation that attacked similar proposals years ago. This led to a split - part of the PP–DB supported the project as a pragmatic solution to provide a new administrative building without spending on the budget, while “Save Sofia“ distanced itself and defined it as a “shameful report“.
The clash centered around two opposing readings. The project's supporters claim that through the public-private partnership, the municipality will receive a new and modern building for the administration of “Mladost“, which is currently housed in an outdated building, without allocating its own funds. According to them, the terrain is unusable and “locked“ between private properties, and this model is the only realistic way to implement a project in this area, which according to the General Development Plan allows for high-rise construction along main boulevards.
However, critics point out that the deal is highly unequal – The municipality provides about 92% of the land, and in return receives only about 26-30% of the future building, while an investor with a minimum share of about 8% of the land receives control over the main part of the project. According to them, this is a scheme that bypasses transparent tenders for municipal land and deprives the municipality of the opportunity to realize a significantly greater financial value, which could cover both an administrative building and public spaces.
An additional argument against the project is the risk of transport collapse, as Blvd. “Alexander Malinov“ is already heavily congested, and a new large-scale project would seriously increase traffic in the area. It is also emphasized that “Mladost“ is a symbol of overdevelopment and that residents insist on green spaces, not new high-rise buildings.
The reaction of citizens is also sharp, with local initiative committees already declaring their intention to appeal the decision to the court and to the regional governor. The “Mladost“ region has a long history of civil protests against development, including cases that have led to serious political and institutional consequences. The concerns today are that the approved project could become a precedent and pave the way for a series of high-rise buildings along “Alexander Malinov“ Boulevard, which would permanently change the urban environment, disrupt air currents from Vitosha and deepen the “heat island“ effect in one of the most densely built-up areas of Sofia.
Therefore, although the SOS supported the mayor of the Kukurin district, it is still not clear whether this is the end or just another episode in the long-standing urban planning saga in the “Mladost“ district.