Simeon Saxe-Coburg, leader of the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) allegedly got involved in a bribery scheme.

Dnevnik newspaper quoted the Italian Corriere de la Sera in saying that Saxe-Coburg was about to grant the Italian Prince Victor Emmanuel and businessman Pierpaolo Cerani participation in a Bulgarian hospital construction project if they financed Saxe-Coburg’s election campaign.

Dnevnik reported that Victor Emmanuel was arrested in Italy on charges of participation in a criminal group, which was involved in corruption and other schemes.

The investigation claimed the criminal group was in contact with Saxe-Coburg, Dnevnik reported. 

One of the schemes of the group focused on winning the tender for the construction of a hospital complex in Bulgaria and for several communications projects, Dnevnik said.

National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) representatives said media claims were only hypothetical. No Italian companies have expressed interest in Bulgarian projects, NMSII member and State Administration Minister Nikolai Vassilev said.