Two Ex Court Chairs, 6 Others Charged over Irregularities in EU-Funded Project

The prosecuting authority has pressed charges against 8 people for irregularities in a project implemented under the operational program Administrative Capacity.

The Sofia District Military Appellate Prosecutor’s Office pressed charges against the former Chair of the Sofia Military Appellate Court Petko Petkov, the former Chair of the Sofia Appellate Court and the Sofia Military Appellate Court Veselin Pengezov, the former Deputy Chair of the Military Appellate Court Vladimir Dimitrov, the former head of the Finance Ministry Directorate in charge of the operational program Administrative Capacity Maria Divizieva, as well as against Atina Mavridis, Petya Gergova, Lyudmil Simeonov, and Krum Simeonov.

According to a media statement of the prosecuting authority, the charges concern fraudulent declaration by Petkov, in his capacity of Chair of the Sofia Military Appellate Court, before the Managing Authority of the operational program Administrative Capacity at the Finance Ministry in connection with the implementation of an EU-funded project under the same operational program.

The fraudulent declaration concerns the organization of the procedure for the selection of contractors.
Petkov has been charged as a perpetrator and the other ones as helpers.

After coordinating the step with Maria Divizieva, former Directorate head at the Finance Ministry, following the instructions of Pengezov, the two other defendants compiled back-dated documents for procedures under the Public Procurement Act in connection with the selection of contractors under the project, despite the fact that no such procedures had been held.

The offence was committed in the period July 8, 2009 – July 19, 2010.

Petko Petkov and Veselin Pengezov have also been charged with embezzling BGN 42 217 in the period October 19-21, 2009, received as remuneration for the contractor under the same project.

Pengezov has also been charged with an offence concerning his professional conduct over civil contracts signed with IT specialists under the same project in the period October 28, 2008 – June 9, 2009 in violation of provisions of the Public Procurement Act.

Veselin Pengezov was Chair of the Sofia Military Appellate Court in the period May 25, 2004 – June 8, 2009 and Chair of the Sofia Appellate Court in the period June 9, 2009 – May 15, 2014. He was removed from office on May 15, 2014 in connection with the ongoing criminal proceedings.

Petar Petkov was Deputy Chair of the Sofia Military Appellate Court in the period December 13, 2004 – May 25, 2009. He was Chair of the same court in the period June 9, 2009 – May 15, 2014. He was removed from office on May 15, 2014in connection with the ongoing criminal proceedings.

Vladimir Dimitrov was Chair of the Sofia Military Court in the period May 25, 1998 – October 6, 2004. He was appointed Deputy Chair of the Sofia Military Appellate Court on July 1, 2009 and from July 7, 2014 to December 18, 2014 he was interim administrative head of the Sofia Military Appellate Court.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!