No documents regarding the approval of construction in the Elenite holiday village were found in the archives of the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW). This important fact was announced by the Minister of Environment and Water, Manol Genov, in response to journalists' questions. The event took place in Sozopol, immediately after the end of the forum “Blue Future for the Black Sea”.
Minister Genov emphasized that the ministry's archives contain information about several refusals, as well as one referral to the prosecutor's office by the Basin Directorate. However, the correspondence regarding the latter has been terminated. "We are ready to assist the prosecutor's office and will provide all available information upon request", Genov stated. He recalled that after the devastating floods that hit the holiday village at the beginning of the month, prosecutorial investigations have been launched, which will determine the causes of the disaster.
At the scene of the event, in Sozopol, an tense atmosphere prevailed. Journalists from various media outlets eagerly awaited the minister's answers, while the local residents shared their concerns about the future of the region.
The Director of the “Black Sea Region” Basin Directorate, Yavor Dimitrov, added further details. He announced that after the floods that affected Elenite and Tsarevo, thorough inspections of the affected areas have been started. The inspection of the holiday complexes along the entire coastline is also underway. Dimitrov emphasized that these inspections are ongoing and that the analyses will be ready at a later stage.
Observing the work of the employees, it became clear that numerous problems are about to be revealed. "We are encountering numerous problems – backfilling of water bodies with household and construction waste, covering of riverbeds and violations of dikes", Dimitrov pointed out. He clarified that covering of water bodies is permissible only with clear sizing. But in some cases, such is missing. As a specific example, Dimitrov pointed to the area of Sveti Vlas, where covered water bodies with unclear technical parameters have been discovered.
Regarding the situation in Elenite, the director emphasized that after the riverbed had been covered, buildings were erected on it. These actions raise questions about the legality of the construction and its impact on the environment.