Bulgarian Prosecutors Boast Clamp Down on EU Funds Frauds

Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev presented Wednesday the results of the 2010 report of the Prosecutor`s Office. Photo by BGNES

 2010 has witnessed a substantial increase in guilty verdicts in cases involving EU funds embezzlement, according to the annual report of the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office.

In 2008, only 4 people were declared guilty of such violations, compared to a total of 225 in 2010.

The report also points to a steep increase in guilty verdicts in cases of drug trafficking. In 2010, 2005 offenders were found guilty on such counts, compared to 1403 two years earlier.

Last year, 97 criminals were declared guilty of people trafficking , compared to 54 in 2008.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, in two years, the number of guilty verdicts in corruption cases has increased by 55 to a total of 166 in 2010.

For the whole of 2010, not-guilty sentences have amounted to 3.7% of all sentences decreed in the country.

"No civilized country could do without acquittals", Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev told journalists.