The news about the illegal city near Varna is focused solely on the removal of the fence. The Regional Forestry Directorate has set a deadline for the KUB corporation - until June 6. If this is not done, its forced demolition will follow.
According to data from the Regional Forestry Directorate in Varna, the properties in the "Baba Alino" area fall into a residential zone for low-rise construction. But it will be difficult to turn them into an urbanized area.
"In order for them to become urbanized and for a building permit to be issued, because a building permit cannot be issued for forest areas, there is a procedure for changing the purpose under the Forestry Act", explained Eng. Todor Gichev, Director of the Regional Forestry Directorate - Varna to BNT.
The first signals of logging in the area date back to October 2023. Upon inspection on site, it became clear that there were cut trees and uprooted stumps. However, there are no documents that the logging was permitted.
"We have a lot of difficulty establishing the logging there, because the wood disappears very quickly. And there are 12 sites with construction activity, which is mainly related to various stages, pouring foundations,", specifies Eng. Todor Gichev, Director of the Regional Forestry Directorate - Varna.
A year later, a re-inspection was carried out. The acts and the fine of 15 thousand leva did not scare the investor. According to the former deputy mayor Pavel Popov, the illegal construction took place with patronage at the state level.
"I think that if the investigation is carried out properly, it will reach the national authorities at the time when all this was starting, and at the time when we were trying to stop it," said Pavel Popov, MP from "Democratic Bulgaria".
Architect Stoyan Petkov is the chief architect of Varna Municipality, for nearly 6 months in 2023. He stated that the speculations about “turning a blind eye” are not serious and the construction did not take place during his time.
"After the first pruning of trees was noted in October 23rd, right, it is obvious from everywhere that the construction began after October 23rd or at the beginning of 24th," he specified.
Pavel Popov, MP from "Democratic Bulgaria": "And I even have some suspicions about who this broker, Dido Dankata, could be. His connections with Borisov and especially with Peevski are very well known."
The position of the KUB corporation states that "Baba Alino" is not "forest" in the traditional sense of the word, nor is it a protected area. The company states that these plots are private property, purchased by the company legally between 2022 and 2024, and expects the legal status of the land to be clarified.
Meanwhile, it became clear that 4 transformer stations have been built in the illegal complex. And the electricity is paid for by the lots of old buildings that were there. According to our information, water is consumed and paid for in the same way.