site.btaProsecution Office Has Submitted Indictment against Defence Minister Nenchev

Prosecution Office Has Submitted Indictment against Defence Minister Nenchev

Sofia, December 19 (BTA) - The Military District Prosecution Office (MDPO) has submitted an indictment against Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev and his subordinate Venislav Tsanov with the Sofia Military Court, the MDPO said on Monday.

They are charged with complicity in malfeasance. According to the indictment, Nenchev is charged with deliberately inducing Venislav Tsanov, head of the Defence Investment Directorate at the Defence Ministry, to refuse to sign a contract with the winner in a public procurement procedure for the supply of military uniforms. The purpose was to award the contract on the second-ranked bidder because the Minister had promised so to the company in question. As a result the Defence Ministry paid a price, which was some 260,000 leva higher than the initial one.

In late November the prosecution office also accused Nenchev that, by commissioning repairs of MiG-29 fighter jet engines to Poland, he ignored a five-year framework agreement with MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation (RSK MiG) on logistical maintenance of Bulgarian fighters.