ILIEVA AND OTHERS v. BULGARIA

Published on 21 July 2025   THIRD SECTION Application no. 11201/25 Parashkeva Slavcheva ILIEVA and Others against Bulgaria lodged on 11 April 2025 communicated on 2 July 2025 SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE 1.  The application concerns the demolition of an illegally constructed Roma settlement in Zaharna Fabrika, a neighbourhood in Sofia. All 125 applicants (see the appended list) are of Roma ethnic origin and claim to have lived in the settlement. Forty-eight of the applicants are minors. Several suffer from various health conditions. 2.  In 2016, the local building-control authority issued a demolition order for 143 dwellings citing the absence of construction permits, safety concerns, and health hazards. The order was addressed to the local municipality and four individuals in their capacity as landowners. The applicants were not duly notified of the demolition order, which was not appealed and became enforceable. 3.  In 2017, the authorities partially enforced the order, demolishing thirty‑four constructions. 4.  In October 2020, the Mayor of Sofia issued an order to remove the applicants’ address registration from the official register of permanent and current addresses. Following the removal, some of the applicants registered at alternative addresses but continued to reside in the settlement. 5.  On 7 April 2025, a notice was published on the local municipality’s website announcing the planned demolition of the Roma settlement for 14 April 2025. 6.  On 8 April 2025, fourteen residents of the settlement unsuccessfully tried to challenge the 2016 demolition order and to obtain a stay of its enforcement. The Sofia Administrative Court dismissed the claim, noting that the applicants were not the addressees of the order, had not demonstrated ownership or possession of the affected dwellings, and therefore lacked standing to challenge it. Their appeal is currently pending before the Supreme Administrative Court. 7.  On 11 April 2025, the Court granted an interim measure requested by these fourteen applicants, instructing the Government not to proceed with the demolition of their dwellings and to provide information on alternative accommodation options. 8.  Despite this, the dwellings of these applicants, along with the other constructions in the settlement, were demolished on 15 April 2025. 9.  On 28 April 2025, the Court granted a second interim measure, ordering the authorities to offer to the fourteen applicants adequate alternative options for accommodation. 10.  According to the applicants, following the demolition, some of them had to spend the night in tents, in a nearby church, or with relatives. 11.  According to the most recent information submitted by the parties, some of the applicants covered by the Court’s interim measure have been placed in temporary accommodation centres, together with other families from the Roma settlement. Others have declined the offer of accommodation in such centres. 12.  The applicants complain, under Article 3 of the Convention, about the manner in which the authorities carried out the demolition of their homes and the living conditions they had to endure afterwards. They further allege that the demolition disproportionately interfered with their rights under Article 8 of the Convention, taken alone and in conjunction with Article 14. In addition, they complain under Article 13 that they lacked effective remedies to protect their rights under Articles 3 and 8 of the Convention. Relying on Article 6 § 1, they assert that the national courts refused to properly examine their applications challenging the 2016 demolition order. Under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1, they complain of the destruction of their possessions. Finally, invoking Article 34 of the Convention, they complain of the authorities’ failure to comply with the Court’s interim measure of 11 April 2025. QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES 1.  Was the manner in which the authorities carried out the demolition of the applicants’ homes in breach of Article 3 of the Convention? Did the applicants exhaust all effective domestic remedies in respect of that complaint, as required by Article 35 § 1 of the Convention?   2.  Were the applicants subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment, in violation of Article 3 of the Convention, as a result of their living conditions following the demolition (see Hirtu and Others v. France, no. 24720/13, 14 May 2020)?   3.  Was the demolition in breach of Article 8 of the Convention, alone or read in conjunction with Article 14? In particular, was it in accordance with the law and necessary in a democratic society to attain a legitimate aim (see Yordanova and Others v. Bulgaria, no. 25446/06, 24 April 2012; Winterstein and Others v. France, no. 27013/07, 17 October 2013, and Caldarar and Others v. Poland, no. 6142/16, 16 January 2025)?   4.  Was the demolition of the applicants’ dwellings and their movable property in breach of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1?   5.  Did the applicants have effective remedies in respect of the alleged breaches of their rights under Articles 3 and 8 of the Convention, as required by Article 13 of the Convention?   6.  Were the applicants able to obtain effective access to a court in relation to the 2016 demolition order concerning their homes, as required by Article 6 § 1 of the Convention?   7.  Did the State authorities comply with the interim measure indicated by the Court on 11 April 2025 under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court? If not, did the respondent Government thereby hinder the effective exercise of the applicants’ right of individual application, as guaranteed by Article 34 of the Convention (see Mamatkulov and Askarov v. Turkey [GC], nos. 46827/99 and 46951/99, §§ 128-29, ECHR 2005-I)?       APPENDIX Application no. 11201/25   No. Applicant’s Name Year of birth Nationality Interim measure under Rule 39 1. Parashkeva Slavcheva ILIEVA 1965 Bulgarian YES 2. Yordan Parvanov ALEKSANDROV 1972 Bulgarian   3. Angel Kalinkov ANGELOV 2013 Bulgarian   4. Borislav Dimitrinov ANGELOV 2002 Bulgarian   5. Mariyan Kalinkov ANGELOV 2023 Bulgarian   6. Dimitrina Angelova ANGELOVA 1975 Bulgarian   7. Kalinka Angelova ANGELOVA 1992 Bulgarian   8. Zeynep Kalinkova ANGELOVA 2012 Bulgarian   9. Nikolay Argirov ARGIROV 1990 Bulgarian   10. Anton Katev ASENOV 1982 Bulgarian YES 11. Demcho Raynov ASENOV 1991 Bulgarian   12. Dimitar Yankov ASENOV 1982 Bulgarian   13. Lyuben Slavchev ASENOV 1973 Bulgarian   14. Stefan Yankov ASENOV 1977 Bulgarian   15. Radka Sasheva ASENOVA 2019 Bulgarian   16. Rayna Yankova ASENOVA 1972 Bulgarian   17. Rositsa Sasheva ASENOVA 2013 Bulgarian   18. Zdravka Raynova ASENOVA 2011 Bulgarian   19. Asen Sashkov BISEROV 1997 Bulgarian YES 20. Hristo Albenov BLAGOEV 2014 Bulgarian   21. Stoyan Stefkov BLAGOEV 2005 Bulgarian   22. Albena Stefanova BLAGOEVA 1998 Bulgarian   23. Snezha Stefkova BLAGOEVA 2008 Bulgarian   24. Stefka Biserova BLAGOEVA 1980 Bulgarian   25. Stefka Stoyanova BLAGOEVA 2023 Bulgarian   26. Angel Ivanov BORISOV 1955 Bulgarian   27. Bobi Ankov BORISOV 2010 Bulgarian   28. Georgi Iliev BORISOV 2020 Bulgarian   29. Ilia Rositsev BORISOV 2002 Bulgarian   30. Sasho Ankov BORISOV 2008 Bulgarian   31. Anka Boneva BORISOVA 1992 Bulgarian YES 32. Dimitrina Ankova BORISOVA 2015 Bulgarian YES 33. Kotse Kirilov DIMITROV 1977 Bulgarian   34. Anka Raynova DIMITROVA 1973 Bulgarian   35. Verka Veskova DINEVA 1972 Bulgarian   36. Maya Rao DRAZ 2024 Bulgarian   37. Dimitar Zoev GEORGIEV 2018 Bulgarian   38. Robert Zoev GEORGIEV 2023 Bulgarian   39. Dimitrinka Ananieva GEORGIEVA 1988 Bulgarian   40. Nadka Angelinova GEORGIEVA 2004 Bulgarian   41. Zoya Trayankova GEORGIEVA 2003 Bulgarian   42. Dimcho Snezhanov ICHEV 2010 Bulgarian   43. Sasho Pepov ICHEV 2017 Bulgarian   44. Snezhana Dimitrova ICHEVA 1980 Bulgarian   45. Zinka Dimitrova ICHEVA 1979 Bulgarian   46. Aleksandra Nderim IDRIZI 2024 Bulgarian   47. Ivan Hristov ILIEV 1981 Bulgarian   48. Petar Donkov ILIEV 2017 Bulgarian YES 49. Slave Ankov ILIEV 2001 Bulgarian   50. Donka Hristova ILIEVA 1995 Bulgarian YES 51. Atanas Angelov IVANOV 1974 Bulgarian   52. Atanas Stankov IVANOV 2022 Bulgarian   53. Irina Elenova IVANOVA 1994 Bulgarian   54. Stanka Georgieva IVANOVA 2003 Bulgarian   55. Demo Yuseinov KALEEV 1955 Bulgarian YES 56. Blagoy Rumyanov KIRILOV 2017 Bulgarian   57. Iliya Asenov KIRILOV 1957 Bulgarian   58. Plamen Asenov KIRILOV 1962 Bulgarian   59. Anka Kateva KIRILOVA 1974 Bulgarian   60. Borislava Rumyanova KIRILOVA 2022 Bulgarian   61. Rumyana Atanasova KIRILOVA 2000 Bulgarian   62. Tzvetelina Rumyanova KIRILOVA 2018 Bulgarian   63. Zlatka Ankova KIRILOVA 1997 Bulgarian   64. Metodi Nadev KOLEV 2008 Bulgarian   65. Nada Boyanova KOLEVA 1976 Bulgarian   66. Milan Mitkov KOTSEV 1977 Bulgarian   67. Rangel Ankov LAZAROV 2008 Bulgarian   68. Anka Slavkova LAZAROVA 1980 Bulgarian   69. Angel Naskov METODIEV 2013 Bulgarian   70. David Naskov METODIEV 2018 Bulgarian   71. Deyvid Naskov METODIEV 2018 Bulgarian   72. Vasya Boykov METODIEV 1993 Bulgarian   73. Kiril Silviev MIHAYLOV 2011 Bulgarian   74. Mariyan Silviev MIHAYLOV 2016 Bulgarian   75. Trayan Silviev MIHAYLOV 2015 Bulgarian   76. Silvia Vasileva MIHAYLOVA 1997 Bulgarian   77. Vasilka Ivova MITEVA 2006 Bulgarian   78. Stanka Ivanova MLADENOVA 1986 Bulgarian   79. Galya Dimitrova NAYDENOVA 1972 Bulgarian   80. Angel Atanasov NOTEV 1994 Bulgarian   81. Atanas Mitkov NOTEV 1972 Bulgarian   82. Nadya Traykova OGNYANOVA 1958 Bulgarian   83. Paraskeva Traykova OGNYANOVA 1960 Bulgarian YES 84. Mario Ankov PARVANOV 2013 Bulgarian   85. Trayko Ankov PARVANOV 2009 Bulgarian   86. Anka Gosheva PARVANOVA 1987 Bulgarian   87. Genoveva Ankova PARVANOVA 2007 Bulgarian   88. Maria Petkova PETROVA 1970 Bulgarian   89. Pancho Rumyanov PLAMENOV 2025 Bulgarian   90. Rumyana Borisova PLAMENOVA 2005 Bulgarian   91. Sasho Asenov SASHKOV 1997 Bulgarian   92. Petya Mircheva SASHKOVA 1997 Bulgarian   93. Asen Sashkov SHOPOV 1975 Bulgarian   94. Boyko Simov SHOPOV 1991 Bulgarian YES 95. Stefan Boykov SHOPOV 2021 Bulgarian YES 96. Vasya Simov SHOPOV 1988 Bulgarian   97. Elena Boykova SHOPOVA 2011 Bulgarian   98. Rositsa Ilieva SHOPOVA 1981 Bulgarian   99. Snezha Boykova SHOPOVA 2014 Bulgarian   100. Snezha Stefanova SHOPOVA 1968 Bulgarian   101. Yavor Mohammad SIKDER 2020 Bulgarian YES 102. Asen Aneliev STEFANOV 1996 Bulgarian   103. Dimitar Traykov STEFANOV 1988 Bulgarian   104. Sergey Dimitrov STEFANOV 1975 Bulgarian   105. David Ivanov STOIMENOV 2018 Bulgarian   106. Ivan Violetov STOIMENOV 1995 Bulgarian   107. Silvestar Petrov STOIMENOV 2011 Bulgarian   108. Sotir Violetov STOIMENOV 2002 Bulgarian   109. Angelina Violetova STOIMENOVA 1994 Bulgarian   110. Katya Petrova STOIMENOVA 2009 Bulgarian   111. Marta Angelinova STOIMENOVA 2019 Bulgarian   112. Petra Silvieva STOIMENOVA 1982 Bulgarian   113. Snezhana Velichkova STOIMENOVA 2000 Bulgarian   114. Violeta Angelinova STOIMENOVA 2013 Bulgarian   115. Violeta Georgieva STOIMENOVA 1975 Bulgarian   116. Yana Ivanova STOIMENOVA 2023 Bulgarian   117. Petar Rangelov SVETOSLAVOV 1972 Bulgarian   118. Filka Slavkova TRAYKOVA 2003 Bulgarian   119. Sevda Tsvetanova TRAYKOVA 1992 Bulgarian   120. Valeriya Lyubchova YANEVA 2016 Bulgarian   121. Zoya Yordanova YANEVA 1982 Bulgarian   122. Angelina Lokova YANKOVA 2007 Bulgarian   123. Ani Kirilova YANKOVA 1989 Bulgarian   124. Beatris Bistrova YANKOVA 2019 Bulgarian   125. Bistra Hristinova YANKOVA 2003 Bulgarian