The final part of the public consultation procedure on the draft Detailed Development Plan (DDP) of the "Borisova Gradina" park in Sofia, initiated by arch. Lyubo Georgiev, Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality, is currently underway. The purpose of this procedure is to gather public opinion, as required by law, before the detailed development plan is submitted for consideration to the Sofia Municipal Council. During the discussions, several key problems were identified that cause serious dissatisfaction and indignation among citizens regarding the content of the project. According to people, these concerns are completely justified and are related to properties and sites that have been left in a neglected state for years. Among them are the “Maria Luiza“ bathhouse, which has not been operating for more than 20 years, the Summer Theater, as well as other terrains. Citizens insist that these issues be resolved in the public interest. This was announced to Lili Marinkova in the “FACTS“ studio and the “Conversation“ program by Stefan Spasov (right), municipal councilor from “Save Sofia“, and Nikolay Veselinov (left).
“Additional dissatisfaction is also caused by the idea of building an underground parking lot with about 400 spaces. According to critics, this is an excessively large-scale facility for the territory of Borisova Garden and creates a risk of additional burden on the park. It should be emphasized that the position of the Sofia Municipal Council is at odds with the proposals of arch. Lyubo Georgiev, who continues to defend the project despite the negative reaction of many residents of Sofia. We will not support such a plan until clear answers are given to all the concerns expressed by citizens,“ added Spasov.
“The story of the Borisova Garden plan begins after a competition held in 2015, when the project was assigned to a team. As far as I know, this team has not yet received full compensation for its work. This is one of the reasons why the topic is being put on the agenda again, so that the people who worked on the project can get what they deserve, and this is also a reason to hurry. The other reason is that the Sofia Municipal Administration clearly wants to finish with this plan and close the topic. Of course, a plan is necessary, because without it, such an area cannot be managed and developed. The big question, however, is what exactly this plan should be and whether the proposed option is the best solution. The question is whether it works in the interests of all citizens. Over the years, the topic has often been used in both party and political contexts. At the same time, civil society organizations and initiative committees made enormous efforts and exerted constant pressure to make the public interest heard. The paradox is that despite this many years of work, citizens often remained excluded from the real decision-making process, namely, they should have their place in it. It is good to hear what political forces and institutions think, but it is even more important to hear what citizens think, because Sofia belongs to all citizens,“ shared Nikolay Veselinov.
See more of the conversation in the VIDEO.