The Sofia Municipality temporarily suspends the competition procedure for the position of “chief architect“ until receiving methodological instructions from the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works regarding the participation of representatives of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB) and the Union of Architects in Bulgaria (UAB) in the competition committee, the press center of the Sofia Municipality announced.
By order of the Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev, the competition procedure, announced on July 24, 2026, is suspended until the issuance of instructions from the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. The municipality specifies that the procedure is not terminated, but is paused.
The decision was made after the refusal of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria and the Union of Architects in Bulgaria to send their representatives to the competition committee. The participation of representatives of the two professional organizations is provided for in Art. 5, para. 2 of the Spatial Planning Act.
Due to the current situation, the Sofia Municipality believes that before the competition continues, it is necessary to clarify the legal procedure for appointing representatives of the Bulgarian Association of Architects and the Bulgarian Association of Architects in the competition committee.
Mayor Vasil Terziev has sent a letter to the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Shishkov and to the Council of Ministers requesting methodological instructions. It states that the requirements for holding the position are legally defined and have also been applied in previous competitions for the Chief Architect of the Sofia Municipality.
After the vacancy of the position in January 2026, the functions of the Chief Architect are performed temporarily until the appointment of a permanent one. In order to ensure continuity in the performance of functions related to the development of the city, in July the Sofia Municipality announced a competition for the position.
“The Sofia Municipality will await the methodological instructions of the MRDPW before taking further action on the competition. It is important for the Municipality not only that the procedure is completed, but that it is carried out under clear rules, in full compliance with the law and without doubt in its legitimacy“, the statement added.