site.btaHalting of Public Procurement Procedures Exposes Certification of Costs to Risk - Agriculture Minister

ESD 18:11:30 09-09-2014
DD1811ES.130
130 POLITICS - AGRICULTURE - MINISTER - PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

Halting of Public Procurement Procedures
Exposes Certification of Costs to Risk
- Agriculture Minister


Sofia, September 9 (BTA) - Agriculture and Food Minister Vassil
Groudev issued a position in connection with a decision of the
Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) to annual a
public procurement procedure for the selection of a Certifying
Authority (CA) under the Rural Development Programme launched on
June 11, 2014. The Minister notes that he has repeatedly voiced
fears regarding the legitimacy of what is the third consecutive
procedure for the selection of CA.

In the meantime, CPC issued a statement saying it has annulled a
decision of the Agriculture Minister to open a procedure on
awarding a public procurement contract with a subject matter
"Conducting Certification Audit of the Paying Agency of the
Republic of Bulgaria". The CPC has acted based on appeals filed
by Zaharinova & Partners OOD and Deloitte Bulgaria EOOD.

The cancellation of three procedures within a single year
exposes the certification of costs to the amount of 1,650
million leva to risk, said Groudev adding that the money has
already been paid under the State budget. "We will use all
possibilities under the law for a fast and adequate selection of
CA with a view to the emergency circumstances. The European
Commission also took into consideration these developments and
extended the deadline for cost certification until the end of
January 2015," said Groudev. VI/TK