site.btaSofia Chief Architect Orders Demolition of Buildings Found to be Constructed Unlawfullyin Residence of Fugitive Gambling Tycoon Bojkov

August 26 (BTA) - The Chief Architect of Sofia has ordered the demolition of three buildings in a residence on Mount Vitosha owned by fugitive gambling tycoon Vassil Bozhkov. The buildings were found to have been built unlawfully after a check into their legal conformity ordered to the National Construction Supervision Directorate by the Supreme Administrative Prosecuting Magistracy. The residence, located in the Mount Vitosha Nature Park, used to belong to Bulgarian communist leader Todor Zhivkov, and is now property of Bojkov.

Bojkov lost his gambling empire in early 2020 when Parliament outlawed private lotteries and was charged with evasion of more than 700 million leva in gambling licensing fees, money laundering, extortion, bribery, murder, abetting in murder, attempted rape, leading an organized crime group since 2014, trading in influence, and unlawful possession of cultural assets. The businessman left Bulgaria before the full-scale crackdown against him and is now in the United Arab Emirates, from where this country is seeking his extradition.

The three buildings ordered to be demolished are a two-storey office building with a garage, storing space and sheds, a one-story building with a terrace and a greenhouse, and a one-story warehouse. They were built without the requisite investment design projects and building permit, and do not conform to the relevant park management and development plans. The order for the removal of the buildings sets a 14-day term for voluntary demolition.

The Supreme Administrative Prosecuting Magistracy said checks continue by the National Construction Supervision Directorate and the Sofia City Hall of unlawful construction in private residences and other properties in the Mount Vitosha Nature Park. NV/ZH

/СН/