Krasimira Katincharova: An Institutional Umbrella over Violence and Energy Lobbying (on the Attempted Murder in Gotse Delchev, the Health Risks of Wind Farms, and the Economic Collapse of the Energy Sector)

Attempted Murder and Political Protection in Gotse Delchev (Гоце Делчев)

The Member of Parliament from the “Velichie” party (партия „Величие“), Krasimira Katincharova (Красимира Катинчарова), reveals details about the brutal attack on coordinator Stanislav Zhulev (Станислав Жулев) in Gotse Delchev (Гоце Делчев). Two men assaulted Zhulev during an inspection following a report to the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (РИОСВ) regarding illegal pollution. One of the attackers struck the victim on the head with a wooden club, broke his arm, and attempted to drown him in an irrigation canal. The aggression included verbal death threats against him and his children. The victim identified the physical perpetrator as the husband of the municipality’s chief architect, Ani Mircheva (Ани Мирчева).

The motive for the criminal assault was Zhulev’s exposure of an illegal pipe discharging wastewater and sewage from the architect’s home directly into the irrigation canal. The coordinator documented the violation and was present during the institutional inspection. The court released the attacker on bail of 2,000 euros less than 24 hours after his arrest. Katincharova reports another case of beating carried out by a municipal employee inside the office of the chief architect, which the local authorities have kept silent about. She defines these actions as systematic political pressure and repression against activists of the party.

Wind Turbines and Administrative Arbitrariness

Katincharova comments on the legal battle between Valchidol Municipality (община Вълчидол) and the investor “Dobrotich Wind” („Добротич Уинд“) concerning the construction of a wind farm. The Supreme Administrative Court (Върховен административен съд) is reviewing the appeal against the municipality’s decision that the turbines must be located at a distance equal to ten times their height. The MP emphasizes the harmful effects of infrasound emitted by these facilities, which is perceived by people as vibration. A local resident, Stoyanka Dimitrova (Стоянка Димитрова), is directly affected, as a planned 270-meter-high turbine will be situated less than 400 meters from her home.

State institutions have abdicated their duty to protect citizens’ health. The Ministry of Health (Министерство на здравеопазването) has stated in writing that it lacks both the resources and the mandate to measure harmful emissions. Environmental Impact Assessments are prepared by private experts paid by the investor himself. The ornithologist Professor Pavel Zehtindzhiev (проф. Павел Зехтинджиев) consistently issues positive opinions for turbines located along the birds’ migration route Via Pontica (Виа Понтика).

Energy Crisis and Economic Consequences

Bulgaria maintains some of the highest electricity prices in Europe. The ruling authorities refuse to complete the Belene Nuclear Power Plant (АЕЦ „Белене“), despite the existence of a prepared site and already paid reactors, and are undermining the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (АЕЦ „Козлодуй“) for political reasons. Instead of developing nuclear energy, the fertile lands of Dobrudzha (Добруджа) are being destroyed and covered with concrete and solar panels. Katincharova cites global trends and statements by Donald Trump (Доналд Тръмп) about the economic unsustainability of green energy and the problems with recycling turbine blades. Major corporations are already withdrawing their capital from this sector.