Construction on a water purification station worth 16 million euro has been thwarted because works have partially destroyed a burial ground estimated at about 6000 years and a Roman village in the vicinity, the private Bulgarian television channel bTV reported on October 12 2010.
This is the 10th delay affecting building of the water purification station near Turgovishte. The facility, worth 16 million euro, is due to be constructed by the end of the year.
However construction work has been halted after a burial ground, which was clearly marked on the map, was threatened after heavy machines started working on site, the report said.
The archeological site, which is about 6000 years old, is marked on every cultural map of Bulgaria, yet construction was allowed to go ahead, with part of the infrastructure dissecting an ancient burial ground.
Bulldozers and other equipment have already destroyed parts of the Roman village. Archeological excavation on site started late after construction of the water purification plant had already started. Turgovishte municipality did not comment on the archeologists' work but said that the Ministry of Environment is responsible for the matter, bTV said.
Source: The Sofia Echo [October 12, 2010]