The Development Schemes for Borisova Gradina and Vitosha – Kiril Georgiev

Kristian Koev and Kiril Georgiev discuss in the program "Yadro" the systematic attempts by Sofia Municipality and private investors to take over and develop key green areas such as Borisova Gradina and Vitosha Mountain.

The Plan to Privatize Borisova Gradina

Sofia Municipality is attempting to push through a new detailed development plan for Borisova Gradina. According to the municipal leadership, this is the only legal way to potentially acquire the privately owned lands in the park. However, civic organizations warn that this document actually creates a legal opportunity for massive construction by private owners.

Among them are individuals from the criminal circles of the 1990s, who today own key sites such as the "Maria Luisa" swimming complex, stadiums, and parking lots. The street arteries in the new plan are deliberately designed to directly serve these private interests and facilitate access to their properties.

Manipulation of Public Discussions

At a recent public discussion, around 100 active citizens categorically rejected the proposed plan and booed the Deputy Mayor for Architecture, Lyubo Georgiev. Despite this strong public opposition, the following day the municipality issued an official statement claiming that people had unanimously approved the concept. The presented plan even includes the cutting down of more than 1,000 trees within the park.

During the meeting, citizen Gergana Pirozova presented an official document from 2004 confirming the presence of mineral water beneath the "Maria Luisa" swimming complex. This document requires a one-kilometer radius of exclusive state ownership around the spring, which directly blocks the investors' construction intentions. The municipal representatives appeared visibly surprised by this fact, as they were unaware of the document.

The Ski Lift Scheme on Vitosha

Investment pressure seriously threatens Vitosha Mountain as well, whose development is deliberately blocked because of economic interests in the Bansko resort. The owner of the facilities intentionally refuses to repair the old ski lifts and makes permission for the construction of huge new hotels on the mountain a condition. At the same time, more than 100 existing mountain huts are falling into decay, but the state refuses to allow their restoration through public-private partnerships.

The conflict of interests in mountain tourism creates two main problems:

• Vitosha: Non-functioning ski lifts, deteriorating mountain huts, and a lack of political will to develop accessible tourism just minutes away from the capital.
• Bansko: Overdevelopment and strong lobbying pressure against the development of competing destinations that could divert tourist traffic.

A Call for Active Civic Action

Host Kristian Koev and guest Kiril Georgiev call on citizens to protect green spaces and ensure a healthy environment for their children. They are organizing a protest on the 15th at 9:00 AM in front of the building of the Directorate "Architecture and Urban Planning" behind TSUM. The presence of citizens remains the only effective way to stop the final approval of the plan and preserve Sofia's parks from illegal construction.