site.btaNew Charge Brought against Outgoing Defence Minister Nenchev

New Charge Brought against Outgoing Defence Minister Nenchev

Sofia, November 25 (BTA) - The Sofia Military District Prosecutor's Office on Friday pressed a second charge against outgoing Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev of serious malfeasance in office committed with a subordinate's complicity.

On Wednesday, Nenchev was charged with malfeasance in office in connection with a deal with Poland for the repair of Bulgarian MiG-29 jets. According to the charge, in the period from May 5, 2015 to September 9, 2015, Nenchev failed to fulfill his official obligations and ensure the aviation safety and flight worthiness of the Bulgarian Air Force's fleet.

According to the second charge, Nenchev, in his capacity as Minister of Defence between December 19, 2014 and January 26, 2015, has solicited the head of the Investments in Defence Directorate, to commit malfeasance in office as the contracting authority of a public procurement for the purchase and supply of uniforms for servicemen. This has resulted in damages to the Ministry in the amount of 259,773 leva.

A public tender procedure was launched in 2014 by the then Defence Minister Velizar Shalamanov, who designated the head of the Investments in Defence Directorate as the contracting authority. The Lorton EOOD company offered the lowest price, but was not selected after Nenchev ordered his chef de cabinet to tell the head of the Investments in Defence Directorate not to sign a contract with the winning company. This, in turn, has resulted in significant financial damages to the Defence Ministry, amounting to 259,773 leva, which is the difference between the price offered by Lorton EOOD and Intendantsko Obsluzhvane EAD, which was contracted in the end to make the uniforms.