Prosecutors launch inquest into Government deal with Microsoft

21:00 Tue 01 Jul 2008 - Alex Bivol

Photo: Georgi Kozhouharov

Bulgarian prosecutors have launched a probe into the contract Bulgaria has signed with US software giant Microsoft for the acquisition of software for the needs of the state administration, Dnevnik daily reported on July 1.

The investigation will seek to determine whether any state administration employee has committed any malfeasance, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, Sofia city prosecution spokesperson Steliana Kozhouharova told the daily. The investigation does not target any specific civil servants and is now focused on "unknown public officials", the daily said.

Bulgaria's State Administration Minister Nikolai Vassilev signed the deal with Microsoft in December 2007 and it went into force on June 1 2008. Under the terms of the contract, Bulgaria will receive licences for Microsoft Windows and Office software for 60 000 PCs and 2000 servers for a total of 71.4 million leva, value-added tax excluded.

At this price, Bulgaria will pay 1145 leva for licences for each PC fitted with Microsoft software, VAT excluded.

Vassilev, who has come under strong public criticism for signing the deal, refused to comment on the prosecution inquiry, telling Dnevnik he had not heard of any probe.

Comments

Comments by Bulgarian - 00:38 02 Jul 2008
	Finally! Let's hope that justice will be done, and the guilty will get in prison, where they will be able to use "licensed" copies of MS Windows and hopefully, back office, as well.
Comments by Peter - 04:38 02 Jul 2008
	Who needs MS software if you can get better programs for free? Like Linux for example. MS doesn't care about the customers needs. They are going to close XP soon. In the same time they prepare to abdicate from Vista (so soon). And what's next on the horizon - Window's 7 somewhere in 2010. MS probably will end like dinosaurs...
Comments by stanly - 15:43 07 Jul 2008
	IF you dont know, 2leva=1eur. Also, the deal is for about $100 milion USD (i dont care for VAT, you also should not).Also, the number of licenses is exactly 60 000. Not 57893, or 61345, as you could think that this number should be the number of necessary licenses..... You try to figure out why it is exactly 60 000??? Ans one last thing, right now, no matter that the money are paid, not all the computers are with this brand new windows. Not even 90%, or 80%, or 70%....