The lands of the “illegal city” are forest territory and it is absurd to change its purpose. In October 2023, forest officials went for an inspection and found logging and construction and notified the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water, the Varna Municipality and all other institutions, including the police. And while the concrete was growing there, the inspections and notifications to the prosecutor's office continued, but nothing followed. Even then, the municipality should have issued a measure to stop all construction and if the prescription was not fulfilled within the deadline, to go and clean it up. He said this on the air of “Hello, Bulgaria” Minister of Agriculture Plamen Abrovski.
According to him, the illegal complex was created on the territory of a forest intended for logging. That is why there have never been any buildings subject to a tolerance certificate. “Property number 5 is a replacement from 2005, it does not fall on the prohibition list, but is part of the general prohibition on changing the purpose. The document states that the property is a forest for the purpose of timber production, it is absurd to issue a tolerance certificate. At the moment, the only solution continues to be for the municipality to clear the forest of construction”, Abrovski added.
According to the Minister of Agriculture, the Chairman of the National Agency for National Security and National Defense imposed a compulsory administrative measure on one of the investors of the large-scale complex, and 10 days later it was canceled. This action will be subject to inspection and an explanation will be required. "Since 2023, each institution has reacted on its own. Yesterday, we gathered the responsible institutions for the first time and discussed the case. What happened in Varna is very ugly - double-blinded impudence. You cannot be told that you are logging and building illegally, pay your fines with a smile, continue building and think that no one can tell you anything," said Plamen Abrovski.
We recall that on May 26, an "illegal city" was discovered during an operation by the police and the municipality near Varna. Buildings were built without a permit on 100 acres in the "Baba Alino" area near Varna. Construction has been stopped. There are detainees.
A day later, the state took action on the case of the illegal settlement near "Golden Sands". Two ministers and one of the deputy ministers of the interior went to Varna to find out who allowed the construction of 104 buildings. The mayor of the city, Blagomir Kotsev, blamed the previous rulers, and Ivan Portnih's team replied - the fault lies with the current mayor.
An order to stop the construction was issued back in September last year by the mayor of Varna.