Construction Behind Russian Church In Sofia Called Off

The proposal for construction of a building immediately behind the Russian Church in the centre of Sofia was withdrawn on April 22 by the same person who entered the proposal, Sofia's chief architect Petar Dikov.

Dikov said he annulled the proposal because he had not seen the drawing for the project, Bulgarian daily Dnevnik said.

Next to the church is the building of the Moscow Culture and Business Centre.

The plot in the centre of Sofia is at the disposal of the municipality of Moscow under an agreement between then Sofia mayor Stefan Sofianski and his Russian colleague Yuri Luzhkov. The agreement contains a clause which gives the right for construction to the Russian centre on the plot next to the building in which currently the centre is housed. The additional construction of two floors with a total floor space of 900 sq m was meant as restitution for buildings of the former Russian embassy which were destroyed during World War 2.

According to the drawings, the Moscow Culture and Business centre was going to be extended with 4 floors, including underground.

"The proposal has been withdrawn so that it can be changed and will be tabled again. Obligations towards the Russian side will be kept," municipal councilor Atanas Cheresharov of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) was quoted as saying.

Civil association Spasenie 2000 protested against the construction. The association wanted to see the agreement terminated or changed so the Moscow municipality would receive real estate on ulitsa Shipka where the former diplomatic block is, which has a large yard, Dnevnik said.propertywisebulgaria.com