site.btaCharges Pressed against Publisher, Businessman Ivo Prokopiev in Case about Selling State-owned Shares in EVN Electricity Distribution Company

Charges Pressed against Publisher, Businessman Ivo Prokopiev in Case about Selling State-owned Shares in EVN Electricity Distribution Company


Sofia, January 10 (BTA) - The prosecuting magistracy has pressed charges against publisher Ivo Prokopiev in the case about the sale of the state-owned shares in the EVN electricity distribution company in 2011, the prosecuting magistracy said Tuesday.

In December charges in the same case were brought against former economy and energy minister Traicho Traikov, while former finance minister Simeon Djankov is expected to be served with a warrant constituting him as a party accused of malfeasance in the same case.

According to the charges against Traikov, between May and June 2011, in his capacity as an authority exercising the rights of the State as a shareholder in the EVN electricity distribution company and as an authority exercising the rights of the State as owner of the State Consolidation Company (SCC EAD), he failedto exercise due care of the management, administration, stewarding and conservation of the property entrusted to him and, as a result of this, SCC EAD sustained detriment amounting to 20,829,200 leva.

Bulbrokers, owned by Ivo Prokopiev, was the agent which represented both the buyer and the seller in the sale of the State-owned shareholding.

Prokopiev is charged with acting together with Djankov to aid Traikov in the perpetration of the malfeasance of office.

Prokopiev was granted a release on his own recognizance.

In a position sent to the media, Prokopiev describes the charges as "absurd and ridiculous, and having nothing to with with either the facts or the law".

Prokopiev notes that he could not understand from the decree issued by the prosecuting magistracy, nor the investigative officer was able to explain to him, in what way Prokopiev aided Djankov or what he did in respect of the sale. "In point of fact, I have done nothing in respect of this transaction," Prokopiev says.

He describes the situation as "a Christmas card from Movement of Rights and Freedoms MP Delyan Peevski and outgoing Prime Minister Boyko Borissov sent care of Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov". Prokopiev argues that the "charges" constitute defamation "which turns the prosecuting magistracy into a common tool of repression of the opponents of the corrupt status quo in this country". "I find the motivation to carry out this farce two months prior to the early elections as rather transparent and totally political," Prokopiev writes.