The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of “Biovet” AD, Mr. Kiril Domuschiev, the Executive Director of the Trust for Social Achievement, Ms. Sarah Perrin, the President of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, Ms. Nancy Schiller, and the Executive Director of the Community Investment Fund – Peshtera, Mr. Kiril Iliev, signed an agreement regarding the donation of 19.2 decares of land owned by Biovet in the town of Peshtera. The donation will support the Trust for Social Achievement’s “Home Security” program, aimed at the regulation and legalization of neighborhoods outside of urban planning, carried out in partnership with the Community Investment Fund – Peshtera.
As part of this program, the Trust for Social Achievement, supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation, and in partnership with the Municipality of Peshtera and Biovet, is working to include properties in the Oreshaka area (Pirin neighborhood) in a detailed development plan, so that each house is located on an individual plot. Peshtera is the first municipality to successfully implement the model developed by the Trust for Social Achievement’s experts.
“With the decision to donate 19.2 decares of land for the ‘Home Security’ program, Biovet AD continues its established tradition of supporting the residents of the municipality of Peshtera, especially socially vulnerable communities. Through this donation, members of these communities will have the opportunity to obtain legal status for their homes, which in turn will create conditions for improving their overall well-being by building adjacent infrastructure with the support of the Municipality of Peshtera and other partners, as well as for ensuring a normal and dignified way of life for their children and other family members, in line with the requirements of the modern world. Many people from socially vulnerable communities, including Roma, work at the Biovet plant in Peshtera, and I am glad to participate in the realization of this socially significant initiative, which is not the first and certainly will not be the last, but will fundamentally change the lives of these people,” emphasized Mr. Domuschiev during the event attended by the Board of Directors of the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
This initiative will give 43 households from socially vulnerable communities, whose current homes are located on these properties, the opportunity to acquire them with a settled legal status and to purchase the land. This will allow the local administration to invest in the renovation and development of social and technical infrastructure for the vulnerable communities in the neighborhood.
“This is an impressive act of generosity and support from Mr. Kiril Domuschiev and Mr. Angel Zhelyazkov on behalf of Biovet,” said the President of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, Nancy Schiller.
Why is this important?
When a neighborhood is regulated, families not only receive ownership documents for their property and legalization of their homes – they gain security and a chance for a better life. This allows them to pay local taxes and fees, access municipal services, become equal citizens, and contribute to the local economy.
“The residents of the Pirin neighborhood in Peshtera have been waiting for this moment for a long time. With Biovet’s donation, they will take the first step towards real stability and a calmer future for their children,” shared Sarah Perrin from the Trust for Social Achievement.
In 2017, an innovative tripartite partnership was created to support vulnerable communities, bringing together the efforts of the Municipality of Peshtera, Biovet, and the Trust for Social Achievement.
After the regulation process is completed, the Fund will work directly with residents to help them purchase the land on which their homes are built. The funds collected will be directed towards future initiatives in support of socially vulnerable communities. For this purpose, an Advisory Council will be established with representatives of Biovet, the Trust, and the Fund, which will monitor the process and ensure that the funds are used for further similar causes.
“This is an example of the power of public-private partnership and a long-term commitment to people whose homes have so far been outside of regulation,” added Sarah Perrin. The model is also being successfully applied in the town of Dupnitsa, where it covers 156 households.
About the Program
The “Home Security” program is implemented with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation. The program is aimed at improving the living environment in neighborhoods outside of regulation and enables municipal administrations across the country to develop or update zoning plans. The ultimate goal is for local residents to acquire ownership rights to the properties they inhabit or to receive documents for the tolerated status of their only homes. In this way, the program combines efforts to preserve the homes of socially vulnerable communities with compliance with applicable national legislation on property, urban planning, and legal construction, as well as with international legal standards for adequate housing conditions.