CHIEF ARCHITECT OF PLOVDIV REMOVED FROM THE POST

On 19th of September, the district court in Bulgaria’s second largest city of Plovdiv ruled to dismiss Rumen Russev from the post of a chief architect of the city. Russev has been accused of allowing illegal demolition of the former tobacco warehouse building in March 2016.

The dismissal of the chief architect was demanded by the prosecutor’s office. Charges will be pressed against two more people, but their names are kept in secret because the court decided that Russev may impede the ongoing investigation or may try to influence the witnesses who were subordinated to him while in office.

At this stage, the chief architect was accused of illegal activity in a protected area which is a cultural heritage., committing eight violations in the period between December 2012 – January 2014, the prosecutor’s office says. The violations are connected with issuing a permit for construction illegally, issuing two plans for regulation in violation of certain provisions of the law and others.

The owners of the former Tobacco Warehouses started demolishing one of the buildings on 6th of March, which was halted as a result of complaints by concerned members of the public.

The buildings of the Tobacco Warehouses were severely damaged in a fire, which burnt for many hours on 20th of August. They are part of a group meant to be protected under Bulgaria’s Cultural Heritage Act.