Sofia's District Municipality 'Krasno selo' promotes private interests again

The Sofia District Municipality 'Krasno selo' (Red village) is striving stubbornly to promote a scandalous project proposing a municipal real estate, intended to meet school needs, to be built up with a residential building of a private entrepreneur.

This is possible because the law allows for the proposals on urban planning amendments to be made subject to public discussion an unlimited number of times. Thus, even in case of a negative public opinion, a particular project can be pushed indefinitely until, eventually, people get tired of it and it is approved.

Here is an example of how, on May 9, 2012, a new public discussion of the controversial project was scheduled, despite the fact that, just a year ago, precisely at such a discussion, the inhabitants of 'Krasno selo' residential district strongly opposed it. Moreover, the public interest and opinion was backed by responsible key figures such as the Mayor of 'Krasno selo' District Municipality Plamen Tsarnorechki.

After the local elections, however, Tsarnorechki's administration proposed to organise a new debate on the controversial issue. Our most logical assumption is that the negative public opinion proved inconvenient for somebody and, as a result, the Municipality will now seek a more advantageous result.

A year later, it turns out that the public interest means nothing to the impudent private interests of the notorious businessman who wants to erect a residential building on municipal property. We already know his name since he is the construction entrepreneur, Vassil Peevski.

The outrageous case of the appetising real estate located on 16 Bogdanovets St. is particularly indicative as to how, in the name of private interests, public opinion is disregarded and institutions only seemingly stand behind the citizens' interest, while transferring responsibility from one to another.

The issue is the municipal land located on 16 Bogdanovets St. in the 'Krasno selo' residential district (which was donated several years ago by a private person), which, pursuant to the spatial plan of 1992, was intended for the construction of a playground for the needs of the nearby Sofia 16th General Secondary School "Elin Pelin". As regards the controversial real estate, both the school and the nearby kindergarten have issued official standpoints insisting that, currently, the terrain is needed for educational purposes.

Almost two years ago, however, on May 21, 2010 - the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science (MEYS) agreed that the land intended for meeting school needs will be used as a terrain targeted for housing construction. The motive of the decision received by Klassa daily is that the building will accommodate an after-school care center as well.

In response to Klassa's inquiry, MEYS explained that it authorised the private building contractor to take the property, despite the two previous refusals on their part. Ultimately they agreed to the proposal after receiving all necessary documents in support of it.

"We have not voiced our opinion yet and we will deliver it after the end of the public discussion," stated in late January to Klassa daily the Chief Architect of Sofia, Petar Dikov.

The change in the property's status ignited strong civil unrest and, at the public debate last spring, people explicitly objected to the vicious plans for building up the municipal real estate. At that time, Sofia's Chief Architect Dikov reckoned, "You can take by force, but you cannot give by force". Thus, he stated clearly that he will comply with the opinion of the neighbourhood's residents. In April and May 2011, the citizens from the residential district flatly rejected all construction plans for building up the green areas.

Klassa daily also has in writing the official standpoint of the Sofia Mayor of the Municipal Residential District 'Krasno selo', Plamen Tsarnorechki, who explicitly objects to the fraudulent decision for another residential building to be erected on the municipal land located at 16 Bogdanovets St. The document was signed personally by the District Mayor, Plamen Tsarnorechki.

As early as the beginning of this year, however, Tsarnorechki unambiguously indicated that he was ready to review his own opinion by proposing a new public discussion on the urban development project.

''Well, let us have a new public discussion. How come 3-4 discussions are being organised in other municipal residential districts, while we only have one? Let there be such a discussion, let everyone share their opinion. This should not change people's opinion opposing the construction of a block of flats, but rather it should strengthen it. I do not see any problem with that discussion. Nobody is exerting pressure on me concerning this controversial issue," stated Tsarnorechki to Klassa daily.

Just a few months ago, Tsarnorechki commented to the newspaper that his position is "to always defend the public interest."

Прочети цялата новина

Свързани новини: