The scandal involving the former chief architect of Stara Zagora, Viktoria Grozeva, is on the verge of fading away. The story of her resignation, the reasons behind it, and her reassignment as the director of the Directorate for Municipal Projects and Construction Control was reported a few days ago.
In fact, the sanction imposed on the chief architect by the Commission for Counteracting Corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Property (KPCONPI) was for a case of conflict of interest, a minor issue compared to others that she could have been found guilty of if a thorough investigation had been conducted, comment representatives from the guild of Stara Zagora architects. This served as a “fig leaf” for Grozeva. It should be noted that the investigation, initiated upon a complaint against her, occurred during the term of the now-former KPCONPI chairman, Sotir Tsatsarov. Despite the fine of 5,000 BGN, he somewhat “cleansed” the architect’s record and sent her to another high and responsible position in the administration, one that was created and reserved for her six months in advance.
What makes Viktoria Grozeva such a valuable asset for the mayor of the municipality, Zhivko Todorov, who is also a member of the executive committee of GERB? Perhaps it is the information she possesses—the most valuable commodity of all time. Or maybe it’s because a number of those in power have surely used her services as chief architect; they know it, but the code of silence remains unbroken.
Who is Viktoria Grozeva?
The young architect began her career in the Stara Zagora municipality in 2013. The following year, she won a competition and became the head of the Territorial Planning Department. In August 2016, the mayor requested the resignation of chief architect Ivan Kirychev due to a conflict of interest since his wife was the lead designer for a new residential neighborhood in Bedekchka Park. He issued an order for V. Grozeva to perform the duties until a competition could be held within the next six months. It is unclear whether such a competition actually took place or if Grozeva remained in the position without competing for it. Six years later, she parted ways with her position as chief architect for the same reasons as her predecessor.
Despite denying any conflict of interest, both the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Administrative Court confirmed it. Grozeva also violated Article 12 of the Professional Code of Bulgarian Architects, which states that “an architect working in municipal or state administration cannot have a material interest, directly or indirectly, in the awarding, approval or disapproval, processing, and execution of an architectural project or development plan whose subject is located in the territory they administer.” However, this evidently did not prevent Mayor Zhivko Todorov from offering her a position in the municipality and reassigning her to a new role on the same day she was relieved of her duties as chief architect. This was also not an issue for his deputy, Eng. Yanchо Kaloyanov, who publicly defended his protégé Grozeva regarding the same issue, rhetorically asking, “What—should her husband not work while she is the chief architect?”
Of course, why shouldn’t he work? Architect Vladimir Georgiev could design projects in all the other 11 municipalities of Stara Zagora Province, as well as anywhere else in the country. But he clearly prefers Stara Zagora, and for a reason. It is interesting to note how many projects that have passed for approval through the Stara Zagora municipality, for which the corresponding building permits were issued, have come from the office of architect Georgiev at V&V Architects. Additionally, how many detailed development plans (DDPs) approved by orders signed by the mayor or his deputy were drafted by his sole proprietorship? Such information, requested under the Access to Public Information Act, is unlikely to be provided. However, an inquiry by KPCONPI or another oversight body could uncover the truth.
In the circles of Stara Zagora architects, there are claims that there have been cases where projects from V&V Architects were submitted to the Stara Zagora municipality, stamped by other designers and firms. This is a serious allegation that can only be investigated by the prosecution.
There are questions surrounding certain individuals and companies, the answers to which could unravel the web of connections with Viktoria Grozeva and her husband. One such name is Dragolyub Nakov, who is part of the team at V&V Architects. In early September 2021, he registered a sole proprietorship named DN Architects. Why does the 28-year-old architect create a company with the same line of business as that of his employer, and with this name—Is it to compete with them or for some other hidden purpose?
It is also interesting to examine the relationships between Viktoria Grozeva and the Sofia-based company “Noviza,” owned by architect Pravdomira Alexieva, which the municipality has contracted through direct negotiations and open procedures to develop numerous investment projects, especially during the second term of Mayor Zhivko Todorov, when the central government was allocating substantial funds to GERB municipalities. “Noviza” was responsible for the project for the reconstruction, modernization, interior design, and furnishing of the concert hall in the building of the regional administration at a cost of 50,000 BGN, as well as the project for the renovation and reconstruction of the municipal building and another facility at a price exceeding 100,000 BGN including VAT, including the Simeon Tarnovski Commercial High School, the Professional High School of Veterinary Medicine, among others.
However, the data obtained from a query in the APIS information system is not questionable. It turns out that architect Georgiev, the husband of V. Grozeva, manages not only his architectural office but also the company “Canella” DZZD, which was registered under the Law on Obligations and Contracts on September 29, 2021. V&V Architects holds a 50 percent stake in it. The remaining 50 percent belongs to the limited liability company IVPI CONSULT, owned by Zhenya Staleva Peeva and her son Ivaylo Minchev Peev, to whom the Grozevs are godparents, according to municipal administration employees. Located at 2 Kenali Street in Stara Zagora, the address of “Canella” DZZD is a shiny restaurant of the same name, which residents of Stara Zagora are unlikely to associate with the families of former chief architect Viktoria Grozeva and former director of the Regional Directorate for Construction Control (RDCC) Zhenya Peeva. Nonetheless, the partnership establishment is theirs—a fact.
Who is Zhenya Peeva?
She was the director of the Regional Directorate for Construction Control in Stara Zagora until 2018, when she retired. Like her predecessor, Violeta Irmilaicheva, Zhenya Peeva immediately registered a family company for engineering, design, supervisory activities, and construction, named IVPI CONSULT, together with her son Ivaylo Peev, who works in the municipal investment division and is involved in two other limited liability companies. In partnership with V&V Architects, headed by architect Vladimir Georgiev, they established their joint company “Canella” DZZD. Some might say, “What’s the big deal, nothing new under the sun…”
Indeed, it appears to be a typical nepotistic business arrangement, which would not warrant public interest if it were not connected to public figures like Viktoria Grozeva and Zhenya Peeva.
The tenures of the former chief architect and the former director of the Regional Directorate for National Construction Supervision (RDNS) overlap during the period from 2016 to 2018, when large infrastructure projects with European funding worth tens of millions of leva were initiated in Stara Zagora. It was during this time that the rehabilitation of Metropolitan Methodius Kusev Park began, which is part of the second phase of the EU-funded project “Green and Accessible Urban Environment for the Residents of Stara Zagora,” valued at over 7 million BGN, but without the legally required Detailed Development Plan for the park.
Instead of halting the building permit for the commencement of construction works in the park, should it have been issued by the municipality in violation of the provisions of the Spatial Development Act (ZUT), Zhenya Peeva, as the director of the Regional Directorate for Construction Supervision, simply turned a blind eye. In response to a question from “Za istinata” posed in January 2021 about why the directorate, as the sole competent authority, allowed this, Penka Marinova—who succeeded Zhenya Peeva as head of the RDNS—answered, “If we allowed it, then that’s how we assessed it!”
This is how Ms. Peeva exercised her supervisory functions over construction activities in the municipality of Stara Zagora during her tenure. Unfortunately, she was not the only one.
In a conversation with Mayor Zhivko Todorov a few days ago, he justified the retention of architect Grozeva as part of the municipal administration’s leadership by arguing that individuals with her expert experience would not be willing to work for a salary of 1,000 BGN in the municipality. We do not know what Ms. Grozeva’s salary was as chief architect, but as the director of a department, she will certainly be earning at least 2,000 BGN now. Additionally, she may have supplemented her income, perhaps even still does, as a project manager.
For years in Stara Zagora Municipality, it has been a common practice for directors of departments and individuals in other managerial positions on the payroll to sign civil contracts for project management, rather than hiring consulting firms to oversee their work. I am unsure if this is legal, but it is certainly deeply immoral. Moreover, it has emerged that when project execution is delayed by months and even years, the project managers continue to receive their monthly fees, which exceed the average salary in the public administration sector. This is just one example drawn from the practices of the “most transparent” municipality of Stara Zagora in the third year of Mayor Zhivko Todorov’s third term.
