site.btaVarna Municipality Must Remove Illegal Buildings, Says Agriculture Minister

Varna Municipality must do its job and remove the illegal buildings, Agriculture and Food Minister Plamen Abrovski told reporters in Stara Zagora Monday regarding the illegal construction near Varna.

He pointed out that only then can the ministry begin restoring nature, adding that while he can call for action as a minister, citizen, and taxpayer, responsibility lies with the city's mayor. He stressed that the law must be enforced, warning that respect for the law is what sustains the state.

According to the minister, the first reports of illegal construction activity reached the Agriculture Ministry in October 2023 from an NGO. The Regional Forestry Directorate responded immediately with inspections and forest-protection measures, but Varna Municipality was significantly slower in exercising its construction oversight responsibilities.

Abrovski said the logging losses are relatively limited in terms of timber value but devastating for the environment. After visiting the site, he found that a beautiful broadleaf forest had been destroyed and expressed hope that it could be restored.

Meanwhile, the District Prosecutor's Office has opened a pre-trial investigation into possible misconduct by public officials between July 2023 and May 2026 related to the illegal construction. The probe will examine whether officials failed to perform their duties in order to provide unlawful financial benefits to others.