site.btaSocialist MP Implicates Foreign Minister in Attempted Misappropriation of 500,000 Leva in Purchase of New Telephone System, Server for Embassies

Socialist MP Implicates Foreign Minister in Attempted Misappropriation of 500,000 Leva in Purchase of New Telephone System, Server for Embassies

Sofia, December 16 (BTA) - Secretary of the parliamentary group of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Kristian Vigenin, who is also a former foreign minister, has petitioned the prosecuting magistracy about a suspected corruption scam in the Foreign Ministry and attempted circumvention of the Public Procurement Act.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament on Friday Vigenin accused Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov in attempted misappropriation of 500,000 leva in the purchase of a new telephone system for Bulgarian embassies and a server for its operation. Vigenin said that after his alert to the Prosecutor General, which he made three weeks ago, the payments were suspended.

Vigenin said that Bulgarian ambassadors abroad were instructed to transfer 30,000 euro each to a Bulgarian company for the purchase and commissioning of a new telephone switchboard needed to ensure proper communications when Bulgaria takes over the rotating EU Presidency in 2018. Vigenin claims that the invoice for the payment included inflated prices for equipment, work and the server. He said that an ordinary on-line store sells such a server at under 1,000 euro.

Besides, Vigenin noted, the purchase of the server may not be made without a public procurement procedure.