Bulgarian Swine Breeding Civil Servant Suspect of Abusing EU Money

Agriculture Minister Naydenov and Agriculture Fund head Ilieva (middle) are investigating the case of high-ranking civil servant Simeon Manasiev. Photo by BGNES

The a top official of Bulgaria’s Agriculture Ministry has been temporarily removed from office over suspicions he abused EU funds with his family pig farm.

The Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary Simeon Manasiev is being investigated for draining EU money by having his family firms receive subsidies for one and the same pig farm.

“I have submitted all documents to the Prosecutor’s Office, and have asked Manasiev to withdraw from his position while the investigation goes on,” stated Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov on bTV Tuesday while also clarifying that the potential abuse was committed before the Borisov government took office in mid 2009.

Masiev is a partner together with his farther in a firm called Manasiev & Son, and is a procurator of another family firm ET Manasiev.

He cited information from the State Agriculture Fund, which has not found any violations. According to its Director, Kalina Ilieva, the Fund has made two subsidy contracts – one with each of the firms in question – back in December 2007.

According to Bulgaria’s National Veterinary Medical Service, the two firms are registered as operating two swine breeding units within one and the same farm. It is still unclear how this registration was granted.

“He applied for the subsidies with two certificates, one for each of the firms, issued by the regional veterinary medical service,” Ilieva explained adding that the investigation will look into the work of the veterinary institution.

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