The chosen site for the construction of the National Children's Hospital turned out to be at the center of an administrative mess, which is in danger of further delaying the project if timely measures are not taken.
There are no legal prerequisites for expropriation of the property for the construction of the new pediatrics. This is the opinion of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, which refers to the Law on State Property. It was expressed in an official letter to the Ministry of Health, which is available to the editors. It states that Article 33, paragraph 2 of the VAT Act requires, for each specific case, a state need that cannot be met in any other way, to be established with an effective detailed development plan.
It must provide for the construction of a national site, for which there is an order in force to allow preliminary implementation or in another way provided for by law. According to the next article of VAT -34, paragraph 4, properties expropriated for state needs become public state property. In the case of the chosen terrain of the future pediatric hospital, the legal requirements were not met.
What is the timeline? In March 2024, the then Minister of Health, Dr. Hinkov, asked the MRRB to expropriate a property with an area of 12,770 square meters, together with the building built on the site, located on “Nikola Petkov” Blvd. 56 in “Sheep font”. It was this terrain that was chosen for the construction of the National Children's Hospital. We remind you that by decision 868 of the Council of Ministers of November 2, 2022 this project was designated as an object of national importance.
By letter dated April 26, 2024. to the new minister – Galya Kondeva, MRRB clarifies that even a year ago – on 22.05.2023, the then minister Ivan Shishkov by order approved a project for a detailed development plan – amendment to the plan for regulation and development, of nine properties in the same area, intended for a hospital complex, for a republican center for prosthetics, reconstructive surgery and production of prostheses, etc. The land for the children's hospital is part of this decision, which is the reason why it cannot be alienated at least at this stage.
FACTS has a digital copy of a document, without proof of authenticity