Bulgarian Food Safety Agency Employees Busted with Bribe

Two chief inspectors from Bulgaria's new Food Safety Agency were arrested after taking a bribe to conceal health code violations at a Sofia restaurant. File photo

Employees of Bulgaria's recently launched Food Safety Agency have been arrested after taking a bribe, the Interior Ministry reports Tuesday.

The Regional Directorate "Transport Police" at the Main Directorate "Criminal Police" in Sofia received an alert about 1:30 pm Monday that 2 men, who have identified themselves as employees of the Agency, have blackmailed the manager of a restaurant in downtown Sofia to pay them in order to conceal alleged violations.

Police arrested two doctors, Y.R., 62, and E.A., 61, both chief inspectors at the Agency.

The authorities seized 2 BGN 100 bills from Y.R., which have been given to him by the restaurant's manager.

The two are under arrest for 24 hours, pending an investigation.

The Agency's code was passed by the cabinet on February 9. The goal of the institution is to monitor and control about 650 000 facilities in the country manufacturing and selling food items.

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