Next in line

Further claims of alleged failures in handling financial matters emerged on November 23 from state auditors that found that state-controlled software company Informatsionno Obsluzhvane (Information Systems) had been doing notable things with money.
 
These things included renting out real estate at half-price, while paying out excessive sums for various items, going out to lunch for up to 600 leva a time and spending 36 000 leva on the office Christmas party.
 
The report effectively placed blame for the financial chaos at the door of former director Ivo Nikolov, earlier this year described by Prime Minister Borissov as a "male witch" – and one who had been on a salary of 100 000 leva a year.
 
Then, directly in the political field, there is the MRF and its leader, Ahmed Dogan, the man who caused a large stir at election time in early 2009 by boasting as being the one with the real power in Bulgaria, and who is the man that every centre-right, right-wing and ultra-right political force in Bulgaria loves to hate.
 
Acting on tip-offs by Kostov and with the consent of Borissov, prosecutors and government officials are working on an investigation into the acquisition of various real estates managed and used by Dogan and other senior members of the MRF.
 
Elements of the former socialist coalition are not taking matters entirely lying down. They have been behind allegations that companies close to Borissov are being awarded contracts.
 
Speaking to Trud in an interview published on November 24, GERB top official Krassimir Velchev said that it would not be correct for anyone who was acquainted with Borissov to be excluded from bidding for Government business. All that mattered was whether such business was allocated in a way that was transparent, Krassimir Velchev said.
 
The BSP has specifically targeted Iskra Fidossova, leader of the GERB group in Parliament.
 
BSP spokesperson Kornelia Ninova said on November 23 that she would report Fidossova to Parliament’s committee against corruption for allegedly not properly disclosing her loan obligations when she completed her mandatory declaration under Bulgaria’s Conflict of Interests Act.
 
Fidossova has said that she rejects Ninova’s allegations, and has insisted that her declaration is accurate.

The BSP also earlier levelled conflict-of-interest allegations against Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov.
 
Before becoming a minister in July 2009, Traikov was receiver in two utility companies owned by EVN in Bulgaria.

The BSP asked Parliament’s anti-corruption, conflict of interests and parliamentary ethics committee to review the issue because of the change of ownership in Hydroenergy Company Gorna Arda as a result of which Turkey’s Ceylan Group sold its stake to the consortium made of Austria’s EVN and Alpine Bau.

The committee ruled that Traikov was not involved in any conflict of interest when the Government designated Hydroenergy Company Gorna Arda as the investor in the Gorna Arda hydro-power array project worth about 500 million euro, Bulgarian-language Dnevnik reported on November 25 2009.

The committee decided that Traikov’s position with EVN was not part of the company's management bodies, hence there was no conflict of interest.