After the Flash Floods in Elenite: Will the Illegal Buildings Be Demolished?

Following the destructive flood in the Elenite seaside resort, which severely damaged infrastructure and claimed four victims on October 3, the aftermath has revealed not only the scale of the damage but also longstanding construction violations. Beneath the glossy facades of the hotels, authorities discovered illegal river modifications, missing documentation, and homeowners left without any guarantee for their properties.

The Minister of Regional Development confirmed that illegal construction under the “Negresco” hotel had altered the river’s natural course, contributing to the flooding.

Ten days after the flood, the Regional Directorate for National Construction Control in Burgas identified the illegal structures and ordered the demolition of constructions that had altered the riverbed.

“There was a blockage here that caused water to back up because the river no longer flows naturally; it has been diverted into a tunnel. The builder is unknown – there is no construction permit, no documentation, and this must be demolished. Whether the hotel will withstand the demolition, I cannot say,” stated Ivan Ivanov, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works.

Vladimir Krumov, Governor of Burgas, added: “At the upper part of the river modification, for which no documents or plans have been found, the channel has been narrowed. Overall, it is six metres wide and three metres high, but at the top it is reduced to two by two metres, most likely because of the foundations of the Negresco hotel.”

“It is the prosecution’s responsibility to determine if there are any culpable parties. We have established the factual part: the river modification is illegally constructed and lacks documentation. For everything else, we have collected documentation and submitted it to the prosecutor’s office,” Ivan Ivanov explained.

Nearly 200 apartment owners are prepared to defend their homes if demolition proceeds. Among them is Marina, a refugee from Ukraine who relocated with her children after the war started and purchased an apartment in the Negresco hotel, making it her only home.

“For a long time, we saved money – we sold everything in Odessa and bought here. So we are the owners, and I oppose claims that this is a hotel. Only owners live here. All documents are in order; we even have an Occupancy Permit (Act 16). The building is completely legal, the documents have been legally verified. Otherwise, I would not have bought it,” said Marina Bogachova, apartment owner.

“I am, of course, against the demolition. We want to live here. We bought an apartment as a permanent home, and now we are again, as they say, left without housing. It is very difficult.”

“Compensation would naturally need to be either a property equivalent to the one lost or compensation at market value. However, reaching that point will be very difficult for them because there are no established procedures, and there cannot be pre-set procedures for such illegal actions – quick compensation can only be obtained through a court case,” said Greta Ganeva from the Elenite Homeowners Association.

Even the water park was constructed on top of the riverbed.

After the flah floods, another issue emerged – some properties lack an Occupancy Permit (Act 16) and therefore cannot be insured, according to Vera, one of the homeowners. However, the residents’ statements differ from the official position of the National Construction Control Directorate (DNC). The Municipality of Nessebar did not provide a response.

“At Astoria, there is no Act 16 anywhere. Without it, there is no insurance. I have a friend who once insured her apartment and received compensation. But later, when she tried to take out a new policy, they told her: ‘No, without Act 16 – no insurance,’” explained Vera, apartment owner.

“Very often, unfortunately, buildings do not have an Act 16. Often, their brokers, even if they are Ukrainian, do not tell them the full truth,” added Veselin Hristov, manager of a real estate agency.

Residents’ hopes are drowning in uncertainty, and questions remain unanswered – will the responsible parties be held accountable, and when will the destroyed properties be restored as homes?