Toni Tonchev, general manager of development company Torin: Let’s take advantage of the crisis and put the branch in order

It is not the state that should help the real estate sector. But we have to take advantage of the crisis to introduce modern regulations and put the sector in order. We have to define policies which would work for the next 10 or 20 years. The main emphases here are the market’s tranquilization, the housing supply for prospective employees as well as control over "who" and "how" will work with real estate. The first policy needs publicity supported by statistics and figures. The next measure is to support population growth. I insist that a national housing strategy is adopted for the next 5 to 15 years.
And last but not least, it is in our own interest to work with adequate and well-prepared people in this segment. It is not normal for a real estate appropriate for investment to be on the market within the price range of between EUR 500 to 1,500 per sq m. This is insanity, which has additionally crushed the market. Flatly, we should not forget the infrastructure problems – both city and national.
One of the measures that could be applied is public-private partnerships. The private sector in countries like Estonia and Slovakia is cooperating with the state and the local authorities for direct subsidies for the construction of affordable dwellings. In many countries in Western Europe this system of public-private ownership is also used.

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