site.btaRegional Development Minister: Stopping Illegal Construction near Varna Is Municipality's Responsibility

Stopping the illegal construction in the Baba Alino area near Varna, on the Black Sea, carried out by the Ukrainian corporation KYB, falls within the powers of the municipality, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov said on Wednesday.

Shishkov, Agriculture and Food Minister Plamen Abrovski and Deputy Interior Minister Kaloyan Miltenov inspected the case and later briefed journalists on the findings. Regional Governor Mario Smarkov, who hosted the meeting, said the joint inspection involving all relevant institutions provides a clear picture of the developments, the authorities' handling of the issue over the years and the actions of Varna Municipality.

Agriculture Minister Abrovski outlined the chronology of events, explaining that the property, originally state-owned, was exchanged for private land elsewhere in 2005. Although the terrain became privately owned, its designation could not be changed under the Forest Act, he said.

On October 26, 2023, employees of the Regional Forestry Directorate and the State Forestry Enterprise in Varna carried out an inspection following reports of illegal logging in the forest area. They established that construction activities were also taking place there, Abrovski said. Inspection reports and photographs documented prepared formwork and early stages of construction. Forestry experts subsequently notified Varna Municipality, the Interior Ministry, the regional directorate and later the prosecution service.

Shishkov said that on June 7, 2023, a certificate of tolerance had been issued stating that the construction had been completed in 2001. According to him, the year was intentionally chosen because it effectively made obtaining such a document possible. He stressed that the certificate contained false information and had been issued by the architect of Varna's Primorski borough.

The minister added that orthophoto images showed the site was actually built up in 2024 and 2025. Certificates of tolerance with false content had been issued for three neighbouring plots, all claiming the construction had been completed in 2001 on the basis of submitted declarations. "In other words, we have reports and acts containing false information, while everything has been entered into the cadastre on the basis of these certificates," Shishkov said, adding that all institutions had kept their "eyes wide shut".

Shishkov also noted that the National Construction Control Directorate had opened a case file but appropriately transferred it to Varna Municipality, since sanctioning construction based on false certificates of tolerance falls under municipal authority. According to him, the administration had the power not only to review the certificates but also to launch demolition procedures for the buildings.

"Today the state is dealing with something that the municipality should certainly have dealt with," the minister said, expressing hope that Varna Municipality would take the necessary steps to end what he described as lawlessness. He added that the prosecution service should also take action.

Deputy Interior Minister Miltenov said the Interior Ministry has been working on the case since 2023, when the first pre-trial proceedings were launched. The investigation concerns alleged abuse of office by a public official, while numerous document-related crimes have also been identified, he said. "Expect numerous actions by the Interior Ministry on this issue," Miltenov stated, adding that police would not "turn a blind eye".

Agriculture Minister Abrovski added that forestry inspectors had caught people carrying out the logging on site, issued fines and imposed penalties, but "they paid them with a smile and continued cutting".