Bulgaria's Caretaker Ministers to Undergo Conflict of Interest Probes

Nikolay Tsonev, Chair of the New Alternative party, has argued that all members of the caretaker government except the Health Minister have breached the Law on the Prevention and Disclosure of Conflict of Interest. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Commission for Prevention and Ascertainment of Conflict of Interest will check all members of the caretaker government on a tip-off of Nikolay Tsonev, former Defense Minister and Chair of the New Alternative party.

On March 25, Tsonev submitted a tip-off, claiming that neither caretaker Prime Minister Marin Raykov, nor the other ministers in the caretaker cabinet had filed conflict of interest declarations.

According to the public register under the Law on the Prevention and Disclosure of Conflict of Interest available on the website of the Bulgarian Parliament, there is only one declaration stating that a caretaker minister is not holding a post incompatible with their current occupation.

Tsonev argued that all members of the caretaker government except the Health Minister had breached the Law on the Prevention and Disclosure of Conflict of Interest and therefore faced fines of up to BGN 3000 if it was discovered that they held a position incompatible with their public office or were conducting commercial activities.

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