Bulgaria: Karlovo Council Approves Gunpowder Factory Amid Protests and Tension

The Karlovo Municipal Council has approved the start of the procedure to change the status of land in the village of Karnare for the construction of a gunpowder factory, following a vote of 17 in favor, 10 against, and 5 abstentions. Mayor Emil Kabaivanov explained that the procedure is a legal requirement: any property owner wishing to alter the purpose of a plot must obtain the council’s consent. In this case, the land is state-owned, covering 518 decares, and the owner has requested it be designated for industrial use.

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