Bulgaria's Architectural Heritage is in Ruins Instead of Attracting Tourists

Complete administrative mess and chaotic management of documents about the architectural heritage of Bulgaria. A law on the preservation of cultural monuments, which not only does not apply, but for nine years it has not been developed the subordinate acts for the keeping of statistics and the implementation of the control over the condition of the immovable values. Carelessness on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, municipalities and private owners of cultural monuments, which are left to the mercy of time. Extremely insufficient funds from the state and municipal budgets for maintenance and preservation of these properties that are private property, but also not using the legal possibility of mortgaging them for repair or restoration.

These are the findings of an audit report by the Court of Auditors that assessed the effectiveness of the conservation and maintenance activities of urban heritage sites for the period from January 2015 to June 30, 2018, published on Wednesday.

Significant buildings decaying into oblivion

"The National Audit Office undertook this audit after a number of media publications and reports over the last few years have signaled the deprivation of Bulgarian cities from a huge part of their valuable architectural heritage." Hundreds of houses and buildings with impressive architectural styles are being demolished, new buildings that often have nothing to do with the surrounding architectural environment take their place. Buildings with the status of cultural monuments have been abandoned for years and self-destruct. No real steps have been taken to oblige owners of old buildings to maintain and keep them in adequate shape. As a result, old neighborhoods in the cities are abandoned instead of being...