A 70-year-old former chief architect of Varna's Primorski district has been charged with document fraud connected to the sprawling illegal construction scandal known as the 'Baba Alino' case. The Varna District Court imposed a recognizance measure, meaning he must sign in regularly with authorities but remains free while the investigation continues.
What He Is Accused Of
According to both Varna24 and Dariknews, prosecutors allege that between May and July 2023, the man signed three official certificates of building tolerance, documents that formally declare a structure was built before a key legal deadline. In these certificates, he reportedly confirmed that 20 residential buildings stood on plots in the Baba Alino locality before 31 March 2001, a claim prosecutors say was false. The offence is classified as document fraud committed continuously in an official capacity, which carries a maximum sentence of five years under Bulgarian law.
Investigators from the Varna District Prosecutor's Office have been active since late June, with the first searches conducted on 25 June at Primorski district offices and private addresses. Witnesses have also been questioned. Dariknews reports that a second suspect, a 48-year-old man, has also been charged in connection with the same case.
Why the Court Left Him Free
The court's reasoning, as reported by Dariknews citing BTA, was notably measured. The defendant has a clean criminal record, a known address, and had already cooperated with investigators, including providing details about travel abroad. The court also noted that, since the alleged crime involved documents he could only have prepared in his capacity as chief architect, and he is now retired, the risk of reoffending is considered low.
