Illegal buildings around Iskar Dam to be torn down

[TheTravelBug]

Demolishing of illegal buildings near Iskur Dam to start by end-2011
Tue, Nov 02 2010 12:22 CET
byThe Sofia Echo

Legal procedures that would enable the demolition of illegal buildings on the Iskur Dam and the fishing village near Bourgas have been launched so that the actual demolition can start by the end of the year.

Scores of illegal properties and buildings have been earmarked for demolition, according to Minister of Regional Development Rossen Plevneliev, as quoted by the Bulgarian National Television on November 2 2010.

Plevneliev said that in the area of the Iskur Dam alone, the legal procedures for properties pending demolition totalled 96 requests, while in the fishing village near Bulgaria's second largest coastal city there were about 120 structures that would be razed.

Near the Ivaylovgrad Dam, there were 90 orders which have been issued for the demolition of properties, but these were still being appealed in court. Meanwhile, the owners of a further 40 properties in the same area already have received eviction orders, and were told to clear out.

The demolition would cost the Regional Development Ministry would likely exceed 110 000 leva according to the report. The action would be relentless however, and there will be no let up, no matter what the cost.

"It is about time the Bulgarians feel the power of the state," Plevneliev said, as quoted by Dnevnik daily.

Finally, the Ministry was contemplating amending existing rules, or making new ones altogether, which would make it significantly easier to demolish such illegal properties in the future.

[TheTravelBug]

March 30th 2011:

Illegally built houses are to be flattened as the Directorate for National Construction Supervision will commence an operation that will see 15 buildings razed to the ground. The action will be a part of a wider operation which will affect other parts of the country as well.

The homes and villas earmarked for demolition are in the village of Stavre Dimitrovo, near the Ivailovgrad dam, private television channel bTV reported on March 30 2011.

Some of the highest concentration of illegal construction anywhere in the country is located in this village, also known as the "merry village" or the "customs village", due to its close proximity to the Turkish border.

"In parallel, buildings constructed along major roads are also being reviewed, and the final assessment of the investigation is still pending", Regional Development Minister Rossen Plevneliev was quoted as saying by Bulgarian news agency BTA.

"We are not trying to frighten all the chief architects in municipalities and communities across the country," Plevneliev said. "We want to check the quality of the service, and how the municipalities serve their local residents"

"We want to know if constructions permits are given, and if so how; or if they are delayed, and if so, why," Plevleniev said. "When we force the municipalities to do their job properly, the business climate across th country will improve."

The authorities are also probing the legality of properties built in one of Bulgaria's top skiing resorts, Pamporovo, in the Rhodope Mountains.

But as the legal status of many properties across the country is being investigated, the operation in Stavre Dimitrovo will proceed, and by the end of the day, no less than 15 properties will be razed. Some of the houses are two-storeys, some of them three-storeys tall.