Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev Has Stripped Chief Architect Bogdana Panayotova of Her Powers

Effective as of today, November 7, the Mayor of Sofia has issued an order withdrawing the delegated powers of the city’s Chief Architect.

According to a statement from the municipal press office, the decision was made due to a “lack of the necessary trust and an inability to ensure effective cooperation within the framework of the municipal administration.”

• Vasil Terziev demanded the resignation of the Chief Architect of Sofia Municipality

From today, the chief architect will no longer act as the contracting authority under the Public Procurement Act. If necessary, that power will be exercised directly by the Mayor of Sofia, the statement said.

Approval of orders and contracts relating to the disposal of municipal property and the acquisition of land and real property rights under the Local Self-Government and Local Administration Act will remain solely within the remit of Deputy Mayor for Finance and Healthcare, Georgi Klisurski.

The authority to submit reports on urban planning matters — including the creation and/or amendment of detailed development plans, as well as proposals for changes to the General Development Plan — to the Sofia Municipal Council will now be exercised by the Mayor of Sofia.

The changes have been introduced to ensure managerial continuity, institutional oversight, and effective coordination within the work of the municipal administration, the Sofia Municipality stated.

• Chief architect of Sofia Bogdana Panayotova: I will not resign, I don't know why they want my resignation

On Wednesday, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev called for the resignation of the city’s Chief Architect, Bogdana Panayotova. He explained that, in the course of their work together, it had become clear that they held differing views on how the organisation should function and on the role of the Chief Architect within it. Later, Panayotova stated that she had no intention of resigning.