An extraordinary session of the municipal council of Koprivshtitsa has rescinded the decision to abolish the town’ status of architectural and historical reserve.

10 out of 11 councilors voted to rescind the decision, while council chairman Rashko Hristov abstained.

The session was convened after Sofia regional governor Sofia Torolova issued an order describing the decision, made by the councilors on 17 March, as unlawful and sending it back for reconsideration.  According to the ministry of culture, the municipal council decision has no legal value.

Hristov stated that the state was not looking after the monuments of culture in the town and the only thing Koprivshtitsa could rely on was tourism.

The council session was attended by many members of the public, who demanded that the state intervene and monitor the 40 architectural reserves in Bulgaria. They added that reserves were faced with many problems – unemployment among the young, the architectural buildings themselves which are in disrepair and the modern development of such towns and villages. Discussion of the land use plan was postponed for the next session.

Koprivshtitsa was declared an architectural and historical reserve in 1971.