The reconstruction of the National School of Applied Arts “Tryavna School” in Tryavna may not begin this year because an appeal against the public procurement procedure is delaying the process and creating the risk of further setbacks if the case reaches the courts.
Although this is one of the most negative possible scenarios, it cannot be ruled out given the circumstances surrounding the procedure.
The public procurement, launched by the Ministry of Culture, is being challenged by the company that came second in the tender. The complaint is currently being considered by the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC). Proceedings have already been opened, but no hearing date has yet been scheduled.
Only if the commission rejects the appeal can a contract be signed – and even then, only if the decision is not challenged before the Supreme Administrative Court. If that happens, there is no clear timetable for a final ruling, further increasing the risk that the renovation will be postponed and fail to start this year.
“You’ve just dropped a bomb on me”
Acting Culture Minister Nayden Todorov was briefed on the situation several days ago. When school principal Orfey Mindov told him what was happening, the minister, who had not been aware of the problem, reportedly said it was as if someone had “dropped a bomb” on him.
Mindov called for the procedure to be accelerated, but in practice there is little that can be done. The CPC cannot shorten legally established deadlines, nor can anyone force the party that could be adversely affected by a decision to waive its right to appeal.
The choice of contractor is being challenged
The complaint before the CPC was filed on 16 February by “Restavratsia 02”, which came second in the tender, and challenges the decision to select the winning bidder.
The procurement covers the preparation of a technical design, construction and renovation works, and author’s supervision for the project to repair and restore the “Tryavna School” building.
The school consists of three buildings: an academic block, a dormitory and workshops. It is state-owned, listed as a protected cultural monument and managed by the Ministry of Culture.
The building is in critical condition
According to the technical assessment included in the procurement documents, the condition of the building after the fire is extremely serious.
The entire wooden roof structure over the central south-western section and the eastern wing was destroyed, as was the attic floor above those areas, including above the gymnasium.
Partially collapsed and burned brick walls with weakened load-bearing capacity also require reconstruction. Serious structural damage has affected the overall stability of the building, resulting in a ban on its use and the need for comprehensive reconstruction, including the restoration or replacement of structural elements.
A burned and sagging reinforced-concrete slab in the central part of the eastern wing also needs to be reinforced.
The condition of the complex requires urgent action, but procedural obstacles continue to delay the actual start of the work.
What the reconstruction is supposed to change
The public procurement calls for a comprehensive restoration and modernisation of the school complex.
The main priority is the roof. The temporary roof installed by volunteers and funded entirely through donations is to be removed and replaced with a new structure, including rebuilt parapets, waterproofing and thermal insulation, chimneys and a drainage system.
The project also includes renovation of the façades with thermal insulation and silicate plaster, restoration of damaged sections and replacement of compromised windows and doors.
The interiors are to undergo major renovation, including new flooring, plastering and suspended ceilings. Authentic architectural elements are to be restored, while the attic level is to be made usable.
All major systems – electrical, water and sewerage, heating, ventilation and air conditioning – are to be repaired or replaced. New lightning protection and grounding systems and additional fire-safety measures are also planned.
The project also includes a structural assessment of the building, with reinforcement and new structural elements to be introduced where necessary.
Accessibility, energy efficiency and compliance with fire-safety regulations are also part of the planned work.
The state was already late
The public procurement was launched on 24 November 2025, which itself raised concerns, given the difficulty of carrying out roof reconstruction in the middle of winter in a mountain town.
The deadline for bids was 17 December, just a week before Christmas.
The estimated value of the works was €854,000 excluding VAT. Four companies expressed interest in the procedure.
Among the main requirements were a minimum total turnover of BGN 1 million over the previous three years, registration in the professional builders’ register and at least one similar project completed within the previous five years. The same requirements applied to subcontractors where such companies were used.
The only award criterion was the economically most advantageous bid.
Two bidders reached the final stage: the “Karst-Ernst-Studio” consortium, with an offer of €828,000, and the limited company “Restavratsia 02”, with an offer of €833,000.
The company that came second later appealed the outcome.
It all began on 4 April 2025
The fire broke out in the school during the night of 4 April 2025, at around 3am, causing extensive damage to the building.
Immediately afterwards, a local private company took the initiative to clear the burned roof. With the help of donors and volunteers, a temporary roof was then built.
More than BGN 300,000 was reportedly raised and spent on those emergency works – none of it from the state.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Tryavna said the municipality was in contact with then-Culture Minister Marian Bachev and at “the highest level” with Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev.
On 17 June 2025, the school sent the Culture Ministry its conceptual design and bill of quantities for the reconstruction, estimated at around BGN 2 million.
The following day, the ministry said the documents had been forwarded to the Interdepartmental Commission for Recovery and Assistance under the Council of Ministers.
There was still no progress by the start of the school year on 15 September, forcing the school management to relocate students to other buildings.
Only 10 days after the start of the school year, the government allocated the required BGN 2 million for the reconstruction.
A year later, however, the building remains unrepaired.
The reconstruction is now caught between an appeal, administrative procedures and institutional delays. What was supposed to be an urgent recovery effort has turned into a process that, a year after the fire, still has not reached the construction stage.
