Sofia’s Chief Architect Bogdana Panayotova Resigns

Sofia’s Chief Architect, Bogdana Panayotova, has resigned from her post, she told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) on January 5.

On 23 December, Sofia Municipality said it expected the capital’s chief architect, Arch. Bogdana Panayotova, to step down in order to continue efforts to build an effective, transparent and accountable system for urban planning and development in the city.

The Sofia Municipal Council has meanwhile approved the creation of a new post—Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning—effectively limiting the powers of the chief architect.

In a statement to the media on Saturday, Arch. Panayotova said she “categorically rejects the false claims and factual inaccuracies contained in the Sofia Municipality press release, which represent an attempt to shift political responsibility onto an expert position such as that of the Chief Architect of Sofia Municipality”.

She also confirmed her resignation in a post on her personal Facebook profile, stating that she had formally submitted an application to be released from the position of Sofia’s Chief Architect.