Controversy Surrounding Photovoltaic Park in Lesichovo Village – Residents Protest Against Project Decisions

A large project for a photovoltaic park in the village of Lesichovo has caused a wave of discontent among the residents of the village of Pazardzhik in Kalugerovo. The investment proposal is for 2,000 decares of land owned by the city, near the settlement, which will be leased for 35 years for the installation of photovoltaics. Residents of the town sent a signal to Objektivno.BG and collected signatures against the project.

On July 19, 2023, the mayor of the city of Lesichovo, Seryozha Lazarov, submitted a proposal to lease more than 2,000 decares of municipal land for 35 years for the construction of a photovoltaic plant. The proposal makes it clear that “VIP Energy 2021” with a capital of BGN 10 is the company to which this land will be given, without an auction or competition. Ten other companies are registered at the same address. According to a reference in the Commercial Register, the company announced that it did not carry out any activity in 2022. In addition, the city undertakes to correct part of the documents.

After the proposal is made public, the city withdraws it and there is no vote. This happens shortly before the local elections, in which the mayor is supported by GERB and PP.

Immediately after taking office, Seryozha Lazarov, who was re-elected to the post, beat the record again. This time he is holding a public debate, which is also attended by the investment company, which is different from the one proposed at first. The new investor is now Eco Power. This new company already has a capital of BGN 5,000 and a turnover for 2021 of BGN 13,000.

It is not clear how the city decided on this particular company, or why there is no offer again, and it is even more clear what is happening with the first investment company. Immediately after the public debate, where neither the city nor the investment company succeeded in answering the questions they asked, a signature against the investment resolution in the city began.

It was signed by 400 people or more than 60% of permanent residents. Local residents claim they have been harassed and threatened with dismissal by the mayor’s appointees. One part of the residents works in the local administration, and another – for employers close to the mayor. The mother of the initiator of the signature, who is an accountant at the kindergarten in the town of Kalugerovo, was fired, and an anonymous report was filed against the owner of the store where the -names collected to the National Narcotics Agency.

Threats of dismissal did not stop the subscription and he was sent to the city of Lesichovo. Despite the dissatisfaction of the residents, the mayor made a new, third attempt, and on March 20 of this year he submitted a new proposal for a third investor, this time a resident the town of Kalugerovo, without giving an explanation of what happened. to the first two and why the investment candidate changes so often.

The new company is called “Agriculture Kalugerovo” EOOD. It was registered on November 27, 2023 with a capital of BGN 100, which was later increased to BGN 117,000, according to a reference in the Commercial Register. Peaceful protest of residents of Lesichovo on March 27 cancel the vote of the decision in the city. For now.