VZCZCXRO4022
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #0093 0161643
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161643Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5989
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA IMMEDIATE 0033

UNCLAS ACCRA 000093 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W; AF/EX; L/DL; DS/OFM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OFDP PGOV GH
SUBJECT: EVICTION AGAINST BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE 
 
¶1. On January 9, a disgruntled landlord attempted to evict 
the Bulgarian Ambassador from his residence which doubles as 
the Bulgarian Embassy.  According to several sources, the 
landlord and his minions arrived early in the morning on 
January 9, forced their way inside the compound and began 
carrying out the contents of the Embassy/residence and 
placing them on the street.  The landlord also towed out the 
Bulgarian Ambassador's Mercedes and had the electricity cut 
off to the Embassy/residence.  Heated arguments ensued 
between the staff of the Embassy/residence and the landlord, 
and the Bulgarian Ambassador, Nedelcho Peneff, called the 
Ghana Police, President Kufuor's office and other diplomats 
(including the U.S. Ambassador) to the scene. 
 
¶2. After the arrival of several officials, including the EU 
Ambassador and the Attorney General, the eviction process was 
halted.  However, the landlord claimed he had not finished 
and vowed to return to "finish his work."  Neighbors say the 
Embassy/residence is now guarded 24 hours a day by several 
guards. 
 
¶3.  The landlord contends that the Government of Bulgaria 
owes him nearly USD 800,000 in rent payments dating from June 
¶1993.  He obtained an eviction notice from an Accra High 
Court judge dated July 9, 2007 which allows him to seize 
vehicles, furniture, and other equipment.  The landlord and 
the Bulgarians have apparently had land disputes concerning 
this property since 1978.  A dispute in 1990, for example, 
was mediated by the MFA, and according to the landlord, the 
Bulgarians were to pay rent from 1993 onward, which they did 
not.  For their part, the Bulgarians claim that they settled 
the rent issue in 1983 when they paid a "huge" sum of money 
to the landlord to cover rent for the next 50 years. 
 
¶4. COMMENT:  It is unclear at this point which side of the 
story is accurate, and whether this issue will continue. 
However, the fact that individuals would violate the space of 
a diplomatic mission accredited to Ghana and throw the 
contents on the street is disturbing.  The tiny Bulgarian 
mission, which consists only of the Ambassador, is back at 
work now and attempting to move forward after this incident. 
END COMMENT. 
BRIDGEWATER