Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Korneliya Ninova told reporters in Parliament on Thursday that GERB "are trying to cover up the corruption" surrounding the deal between the Bulgarian state-owed natural gas supplier Bulgargaz and the Turkish energy company BOTAS. Also on Thursday, Vazrazhdane said that they would refer to the prosecution service a report by a parliamentary ad hoc committee looking into the Bulgargaz-BOTAS deal.
The ad hoc committee was established in December 2023. Having worked some three months, committee members said on April 11, 2024 that they have found "disturbing things" in the Bulgargaz-BOTAS deal and would refer it to the prosecution service. They also said that a report with their findings would be made public in the debating chamber the following week, which is the week ending April 21.
Ninova said Thursday that GERB-UDF would not allow to have this topic on the parliamentary agenda.
Ninova said that a report drawn on the contract has established serious corruption that is detrimental to the Bulgarian state and people. She added that the BSP MPs who are also members of the ad hoc committee will present the entire report and send it to the European and Bulgarian prosecution services as well as to the Counter-Corruption Commission. The Socialists' leader was adamant: "We will not let this case get swept under the rug."
Earlier Thursday, Vazrazhdane MP Yordan Todorov told reporters that his party will alert the Prosecution service, the State Agency for National Security, the Bulgarian Energy Holding, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Energy regarding the deal between Bulgargaz and Botas.
Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria said that they have submitted a proposal for an extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly to look into the ad hoc committee's report.
The Bulgargaz-BOTAS agreement was signed on January 3, 2023 and was touted as "a historic moment".
/RY/
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