Two employees of Bulgaria's state-owned National Road Infrastructure Fund (NRIF) have been arrested for taking bribes, the prosecutors' office said.

The two arrested were the director for the department for absorbing European funds, Lyubomir Lilov, and his subordinate Ivan Vladimirov, Dnevnik daily said.

The two wanted 50 000 leva in bribes and were arrested when the first tranche of 25 000 leva was delivered.

The tip-off for the bribe was given on January 15 by the person from whom the two demanded the money.

Recently, the director of the NRIF was accused of nepotism when the NRIF had given public procurement orders to a company which was manage  by his brother. Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski, who is also the chairperson of the board of managers of the NRIF, said on January 24 that the accusations first had to be investigated. Oresharski said "we will comment after the investigation has been concluded."