Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SOFIA310
2009-06-19 14:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:
BULGARIAN PROPERTY RESTITUTION SUCCESSES
how-toVZCZCXRO4163 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSF #0310 1701453 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 191453Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6092 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SOFIA 000310
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO AINT BU SIPDIS
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN PROPERTY RESTITUTION SUCCESSES
UNCLAS SOFIA 000310
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO AINT BU SIPDIS
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN PROPERTY RESTITUTION SUCCESSES
1. (U) SUMMARY: At the end of June, the history of property
restitution in Bulgaria will be presented as a success story at a
Holocaust Era Assets Conference in Prague. For several years, the
Embassy has actively advocated with government officials at
different levels to help the Jewish community regain property
confiscated during the Communist era, including the Rila hotel in
downtown Sofia, a hospital building in Sofia, and a former rabbi's
house in Varna, which fell in a fenced-off, secured area occupied by
the Defense Ministry. With recent developments, the Jewish
organization Shalom considers all three issues resolved (though not
entirely to the community's full satisfaction). End Summary.
2. (U) In 2008, the community received as unofficial partial
compensation for the Rila hotel the two upper floors added by the
Communist government to a building that was restituted to Shalom in
2003. The community lost the Rila hotel to controversial
businessman, Vassil Bozhkov, a.k.a. the Skull, after a series of
arbitrary court decisions. Until recently, the Bulgarian government
had failed to implement a 2006 Interministerial Committee
recommendation to return a hospital building in Sofia to Shalom.
In March 2009, the court terminated the hospital management's case
contesting the Jewish organization Shalom's ownership of the
building. In April, the hospital moved to its new premises and
started admitting patients. Since May, the Jewish community has
officially occupied the building, though the hospital management
appeal of the case is pending before the appellate court.
3. (U) The community decided not to pursue reclaiming the former
rabbi's house. The prior leadership declined an offer of an
alternative site, which it deemed insufficient compensation,
tactically reducing its options and leverage. The community pushed
on the other disputes instead.
4. (U) Comment: We have strongly advocated at all levels of the
Bulgarian government and to other embassies for just compensation
and return of Jewish properties. We have long supported the Jewish
community as it has struggled with many of the bureaucratic
obstacles and judicial failures faced by others with restitution
claims. End Comment.
McEldowney
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KPAO AINT BU SIPDIS
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN PROPERTY RESTITUTION SUCCESSES
1. (U) SUMMARY: At the end of June, the history of property
restitution in Bulgaria will be presented as a success story at a
Holocaust Era Assets Conference in Prague. For several years, the
Embassy has actively advocated with government officials at
different levels to help the Jewish community regain property
confiscated during the Communist era, including the Rila hotel in
downtown Sofia, a hospital building in Sofia, and a former rabbi's
house in Varna, which fell in a fenced-off, secured area occupied by
the Defense Ministry. With recent developments, the Jewish
organization Shalom considers all three issues resolved (though not
entirely to the community's full satisfaction). End Summary.
2. (U) In 2008, the community received as unofficial partial
compensation for the Rila hotel the two upper floors added by the
Communist government to a building that was restituted to Shalom in
2003. The community lost the Rila hotel to controversial
businessman, Vassil Bozhkov, a.k.a. the Skull, after a series of
arbitrary court decisions. Until recently, the Bulgarian government
had failed to implement a 2006 Interministerial Committee
recommendation to return a hospital building in Sofia to Shalom.
In March 2009, the court terminated the hospital management's case
contesting the Jewish organization Shalom's ownership of the
building. In April, the hospital moved to its new premises and
started admitting patients. Since May, the Jewish community has
officially occupied the building, though the hospital management
appeal of the case is pending before the appellate court.
3. (U) The community decided not to pursue reclaiming the former
rabbi's house. The prior leadership declined an offer of an
alternative site, which it deemed insufficient compensation,
tactically reducing its options and leverage. The community pushed
on the other disputes instead.
4. (U) Comment: We have strongly advocated at all levels of the
Bulgarian government and to other embassies for just compensation
and return of Jewish properties. We have long supported the Jewish
community as it has struggled with many of the bureaucratic
obstacles and judicial failures faced by others with restitution
claims. End Comment.
McEldowney