site.btaProsecutor General Tsatsarov Files Request to Shut Down NGO for Illegally Financing DOST's Election Campaign

Sofia, October 20 (BTA) - Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov has filed with the Kurdzhali District Court a request to shut down the Batu Platform Association, through which illegal financing was secured for the DOST political party's election campaign, the prosecuting magistracy said Friday.

According to an investigation lead by the prosecuting magistracy in the northeastern city of Dobrich, the Association has received a transfer of 100,000 euro on March 14 via the Turkish bank Turkkiye Vakiflar Bankasi, however, there is no information about who is behind the wire transfer.

The money was used to purchase food products, which were distributed in packages valued at 30 leva each. The packages were then transported with help from members of the NGO and DOST supporters to 15 Bulgarian cities, where they were stored. The packages were presented as gifts to Bulgarian Muslim citizens in order to motivate them to vote for the DOST political party in the last general elections for the 44th National Assembly, the prosecuting magistracy said.

According to Tsatsarov's request, the NGO's actions go against the Constitution, the law and good morals.

DOST denied having any relations with the Batu Platform Association, which the prosecuting magistracy claims has financed illegally its election campaign, the party said in a press release, adding that the only food products, whose distribution was stopped by the police in the southeastern city of Kurdzhali, were purchased with DOST's funds and were worth 8,431.29 leva.