In the final working hours before the Easter holidays, Bulgarian institutions have yet to provide a solution for dozens of people who have been proactively left homeless. This could lead to a severe humanitarian crisis, the prevention of which requires the urgent convening of the Interdepartmental Commission for Reconstruction and Assistance to the Council of Ministers, as stated in an open letter sent to the responsible institutions by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC).
Following the mass demolition of Roma homes in Sofia's Zaharna Fabrika neighborhood on April 15, 2025, without any alternative housing provided for the residents, over 200 individuals—including children, the elderly, and disabled people—have been left without shelter for three days, with their belongings destroyed. The demolitions were ordered by the mayor of the "Ilinden" district with the assistance of the Ministry of Interior, despite an explicit prohibition from the European Court of Human Rights.
The BHC insists on the immediate provision of temporary accommodation, sanitary and hygienic conditions, and the protection of the human dignity of the affected individuals.
Here is the official letter:
TO
Interdepartmental Commission for Reconstruction and Assistance to the Council of Ministers
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov
Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev
Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov
Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov
Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov
Mayor of Sofia Municipality Vasil Terziev
Regional Governor of Sofia City Stefan Arsov
OPEN LETTER
from Adela Kachaunova and Radoslav Stoyanov, Co-Chairs of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
Dear Sirs,
On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the mayor of Sofia’s “Ilinden” district, Emil Branchevski, with the assistance of the Ministry of Interior, demolished numerous Roma dwellings in the Zaharna Fabrika neighborhood of Sofia, located at UPI III, UPI IV, PI with identifier № 68134.1200.387. All structures were demolished, affecting more than 200 people who had been permanently residing there, all of Roma ethnic origin. Among those affected are minor children, elderly people, and individuals with diagnosed and recognized illnesses.
The demolitions were carried out despite an explicit order from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on April 11, 2025, under interim measures, instructing the state not to proceed with any demolition until it provides information on how the housing needs of the applicants have been addressed. These interim measures were communicated to Mayor Branchevski and to the Mayor of Sofia Municipality, Mr. Terziev, on Sunday, April 13, both by the applicants’ attorney and by the Ministry of Justice.
In unprecedented disregard of this binding order, and in violation of both Bulgarian and international law, Mr. Emil Branchevski, with the assistance of the Ministry of Interior, demolished all structures in the area within a single day—including those belonging to the applicants. As a result, people have been rendered homeless, and their belongings—personal property—have been destroyed.
Other district mayors in Sofia have publicly expressed their outrage at Mayor Branchevski’s unilateral actions, which were undertaken without coordination with them. This has made it impossible for them to offer any alternative accommodation to the people left homeless.
To date, no institution has issued any statement on the incident.
The remains of the demolished homes have not been cleared, and the area has not been secured. Many of the former residents are now sleeping outdoors. There is a clear risk that the situation will worsen due to continued homelessness and lack of safety at the demolition site.
This flagrant violation of the basic human rights of Bulgarian citizens has created an emergency, and tensions among residents of the capital are rising, with the risk of escalation. Leaving dozens of people homeless—including highly vulnerable individuals such as children and people with health conditions—constitutes a disaster as defined explicitly by the Disaster Protection Act. This is the case because it represents a significant disruption of the normal functioning of society caused by human actions, leading to adverse effects on the life or health of the population, property, the economy, and the environment, and whose prevention, management, and recovery exceed the capacity of routine public protection systems (Article 2 of the Disaster Protection Act).
This requires urgent and immediate action for disaster protection at both the municipal and regional levels in terms of support and recovery; resource provision; and the delivery and acceptance of aid.
On the eve of the Easter holidays, we call on you to act urgently in the name of humanity, to safeguard the lives and health of the affected population.
In accordance with this, we urge:
The immediate convening of the Interdepartmental Commission for Reconstruction and Assistance to the Council of Ministers;
The provision of emergency shelter;
The guarantee of basic sanitary and hygienic conditions;
And action to mitigate the harmful consequences of the unlawful demolitions of these homes.
We also call on the responsible institutions to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions in various districts of Sofia.
April 17, 2025
Respectfully,
Adela Kachaunova and Radoslav Stoyanov
Co-Chairs of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
