„Construction on this territory will definitely begin after my term of office, as both the head of the DNSK and the new regional minister say, as also established by the inspections. So the topic of illegal construction, which is rampant, is actually at its peak between 2024 and 2026, when the buildings increase to 104 in number“.
This is what he commented on in „This Sunday“ on bTV Ivan Portnih, long-time mayor of Varna and current municipal councilor from GERB.
It is documented that 20 of these buildings were built before 2001, but according to him, there were old buildings from the socialist era there.
„I can't say exactly what it was, because I've never been there. I went there for the first time yesterday. So it's hard for me to say what was rebuilt. But let's explain the important thing from the beginning. These certificates of tolerance actually divert the topic from the essential problem, namely the illegal construction that has become rampant after 2023“, commented Portnih.
„It should be clear to everyone – and this is what both the minister and the head of the DNSK say – that certificates of tolerance do not permit absolutely any construction. These are a different type of documents – false or not, because yesterday you heard that the prosecutor's office also expressed similar doubts. They in no way justify what happened there. During my term of office, there was no construction there. I never had any idea that there would be construction there“, pointed out the former mayor of Varna.
“This district architect has been in office since 2004, when there was neither GERB nor me in the municipal government. So these insinuations to link his actions to GERB and to me personally are absurd. He is responsible under the Spatial Planning Act and is independent in his activities. On all other issues, he is subordinate to the district mayor“, he stated.
“But I want to say that in 2023 we took away the powers of the district architects to issue such certificates. Then I fired the chief architect precisely because of such cases. This is public – we held press conferences, showed examples. It can be seen on the Internet, there are hundreds of publications“, commented Portnih.
“Since the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, construction has been raging there. There are hundreds of signals from citizens and political formations. At every session of the Municipal Council, we ask the question. Mayor Kotsev is legally obliged to answer the questions of the municipal councilors, and he did not answer even once. Imagine how many sessions have passed in almost three years“, also noted the former mayor of Varna.
According to him, he understands about the area “Baba Alino“ and about the fact that there is illegal logging there, and then illegal constructions, when the signals from citizens and photos on the Internet began.
And since 2024, at every session there have been questions to the current mayor Blagomir Kotsev about what is happening there, because it was clear that something was happening there.
Portnikh has repeatedly stated that “this has nothing to do with GERB. The law is clear. This is what Minister Shishkov and the head of the DNSK say, and yesterday Minister Hristov from the “Gyurov“ cabinet said.
“Therefore, in this case, it is clear who is responsible and who, with his eyes wide open, slept through this entire process. That is, he did not sleep through it, but patronized it. Because in addition to allowing this massive construction, Kotsev is also trying to legalize it“, commented Portnykh.
“Kotsev allows the development of a detailed development plan, and ten days ago, at the last meeting of the Expert Council on Territorial Development, chaired by a personal friend of Kotsev and yesterday became publicly known for its inadequacy, they tried to adopt a PUP for this entire territory“, said the former mayor.
“That is, Kotsev has not only turned a blind eye to the illegal construction all along, but has taken a number of steps and attempts, including ten days ago, to adopt a PUP for the entire territory, thereby legalizing this whole disgrace. These are the facts“, he added.
According to Ivan Portnykh, he has never communicated with people from this corporation “KUP“. “I have no idea. I have never communicated with people from this group“
BTV also tried to contact the mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev. However, no contact was made with him. Many questions were never answered.
“It is difficult to get an answer. This man has illegal objects in the heart of the Sea Garden, including on state territories and illegal parking lots. He cannot encroach on the illegal construction of other people, because he himself is an activist of the same type”, commented Portnich.
“Everything that they are trying to shift the focus from his inactions – is actually not inaction, but patronage and an umbrella – is ridiculous. As far as I understand, he has not even fired the employees whom he publicly announced that they were fired, and they are on sick leave”, the former mayor also stated.