site.btaInterior Minister Says Inspections into Illegal Construction in Baba Alino Area Won't Be Restricted

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said here on Tuesday that inspections into illegal construction in the Baba Alino area near Varna (on the Black Sea) will not be restricted, stressing that this must be clearly understood.

The Baba Alino case first came to public attention following investigations by the anti-corruption platform BIRD and reports from local activists, who raised concerns about extensive construction activity on forest land near the Golden Sands resort area. The controversy centers on some 100 residential buildings erected across approximately 10 hectares in the Baba Alino locality, allegedly without valid permits and with the apparent failure - or possible complicity - of several institutions responsible for oversight. Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev said last Tuesday that construction of an illegal residential complex in the Baba Alino area has been halted.

Demerdzhiev added that the Economic Police in Varna continues and will continue its investigations, noting that there are numerous case files submitted to the prosecutor’s office. 

Regarding the inspections, Demerdzhiev pointed out that there is evidence municipal officials were not granted access, but there is also no evidence that they consistently sought assistance from the police during that period. Now that such assistance has been requested, an on-site inspection has been carried out and the findings are available, he added. 

He also said that, with the help of other services, authorities are examining the activities of the individuals involved in Bulgaria, aiming to determine whether they are connected or potentially linked to other criminal activity, and to assess the full scope of their actions in order to counter them effectively. 

Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Shishkov said on Saturday that a full review of documentation in Varna from 2023 onwards has been ordered, with results expected within two weeks. He added that the aim is to avoid differentiating between political administrations, as the full extent of the violations is still not clear. 

Demerdzhiev attended the opening of renovated buildings of the local Fire Safety and Civil Protection service in Kardzhali on Tuesday.