For the first six months of 2006, 195 illegal constructions in Bulgaria have been taken down, the Directorate for National Construction Control said.

The directorate ordered the taking down of 605 illegal construction and the halting of construction work on 235 more.

Bulgarian news agency BTA reported that the directorate performed 4722 construction inspections in the first half of 2006.

The inspections aimed at confirming the legality of construction works. Violations were registered in 1482 cases.

For the same period, the directorate collected 1.69 million leva in the form of fines enforced previously, BTA reported.