{"id":103336,"date":"2023-03-30T14:38:21","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T12:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/?p=103336"},"modified":"2023-06-28T15:13:12","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T13:13:12","slug":"update-hal-billion-social-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/update-hal-billion-social-ministry.html","title":{"rendered":"UPDATE: OVER 0.5 BLN BGN OF EU FUNDS EMBEZZLED THROUGH SOCIAL MINISTRY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Financial abuse valued at a couple hundred million euro have been exposed at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. The embezzlement is primarily tied to funds from different European Union programs awarded under the law for public procurement. The procedures, however, were conducted in gross violation of the law. The scheme was exposed when two thorough audits were performed in 2021 – 2022. The embezzlement took place over 5 years. The Ministry for Labour and Social Policy\u2019s responded to Bivol\u2019s investigation and their full response can be read here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dragomir Nikolov<\/p><\/div>\n

The first audit resulted in 6<\/span> prosecution files<\/span>, signals to the <\/span>Public Financial Inspection Agency (PFIA)<\/b> and the European Anti-Fraud Office – <\/span>OLAF.<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite the data suggesting theft on a monstrous scale, the<\/span> Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria<\/b> has stalled the investigation, which has been put in the hands of the <\/span>National Investigative Service. <\/b>The problem is that the individuals accused of the crimes have not been removed from their positions at the ministry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their termination from active duty pending the conclusion of the investigation is imperative when such drastic breeches have been discovered. This is due to the danger of tampering with witnesses and destruction of incriminating documents, say lawyers familiar with the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

To give an example, the former director of the <\/span>Agency for Employment – Dragomir Nikolov <\/b>was just transferred to a different sinecure position – chief of the Agency for Employment for the district of Russe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nikolov has been investigated on every pre-trial material produced up to this point. This extends to the present, according to information seen<\/span> by Bivol.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe destruction of evidence and obstruction of the investigation continues.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is hardly a coincidence that during this period of audits, the chief secretary and primary driver of the process was Kremena Kalcheva, who was brought by Nikolov from Russe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today she has risen to the rank of deputy <\/span>head<\/span> of the Agency for Employment and has been given the powers to control all new projects. The absurdity of such a decision can only have one explanation\u2026(!)<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Kremena Kalcheva<\/p><\/div>\n

Wiping of evidence and witnesses<\/b><\/h1>\n

Between August 2022 and the end of the year the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy fired around 130 employees without concrete reasons, sources within the ministry say. Former minister Georgi Gyokov (BSP), who was part of Petkov\u2019s coalition cabinet, even enquired officially as an MP about the reasons for such a dramatic wave of layoffs but did not receive an adequate answer. Asking the same question to the current active caretaker minister Lazar Lazarov, Bivol was told that \u201cThe claim\u00a0 about drastic layoffs is emphatically not true. In the interval 3.08.2022 to 31.12.2022 the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy has dismissed 13 employee. \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether employees were removed because they stood in the way of the embezzlement scheme can be easily ascertained by an independent check of the ministry\u2019s human resources archives. It is a fact, however, that the Director of the Agency for Employment Smilen Valov, who got the ball rolling on the audits and was informed about the embezzlements was fired suddenly without warning and without a clear motive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to him, his expulsion was undertaken because he was inconvenient.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The only motive is to have no employees who can validate information on the corruption scheme in the ministry. Valov maintains that his firing is paradoxical, as he was able to achieve the best employment rates and lowest unemployment figures for all time since statistics began, despite the economic crisis and the war in Ukraine. The explanation by minister Lazarov does not sound serious and is almost comical:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn accordance with the law for public administration, the CEO of the Agency for Employment is part of the executive branch and his position can be terminated without warning by the authority that appoints him, according to its judgement (article 19 a, paragraph 2 to 3A). This notice of termination is special and the judgement has no relation to the conditions for dismissal stipulated by the Code of Labour. It is decided holistically and doesn\u2019t require a motive.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Despite this possibility, the current leadership at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy has been cooperating with OLAF, monitoring and assisting the work of the Agency for Employment and more specifically its director for over 5 months. During this period the Agency for Employment didn\u2019t undertake the necessary action to guarantee swift organisation, mobilisation and coordination between the different levels and branches and didn\u2019t undertake the adequate actions needed with regard to changes in the labour supply and demand and the use of financial instruments planned under the Recovery and Resilience plan to guarantee the growth and modernisation of its operations.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Moreover, up until his termination from duty Smilen Valov did not undertake the creation of a plan of action to implement the recommendations of the above-mentioned audit report<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Protocols of the Public Financial Inspection Agency (PFIA), which is currently burdened with checking the discussed breeches,show that Smilen Valov was a driving force in the investigations and it was through him that the reports were sent to PFIA and OLAF.<\/span><\/p>\n

A more concrete reply on the subject from Lazar Lazarov was never received. His press centre referred us to official replies to parliamentary questions on the subject but added that:<\/span><\/p>\n

they did not have them in their possession and had no idea where they could be found(!)<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When we searched for the suggested reference, it became clear there were no answers, just many questions to the minister that still remain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Polina Marinova<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here are some of them:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the 12th of December 2022 Minister Lazar Lazarov gratuitously fired the head of the Agency for Employment Smilen Valov and appointed Polina Marinova in his stead without citing a reason for the change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This change is unacceptable for everyone working in the system, and not just them. Reaction from everyone including syndicates and clients of the Agency for Employment, with whom it has been discussed, have been negative, as is visible even from the pages of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. Delete them as much as you want – they are still an indication of the fact that this firing was not the result of professional reasons\u201d.<\/b><\/p>\n

The current minister, Lazarov, was previously deputy minister for many years during the term of <\/span>Plamen Oresharski<\/b>, Borissov\u2019s second cabinet, <\/span>Ognyan Gerdzhikov\u2019s <\/b>interim government, Borissov\u2019s third cabinet, and in the interim government of <\/span>Stefan Yanev<\/b>\u2026 He has taken up the position 5 times in the last 7 governments, including that of <\/span>Kiril Petkov<\/b>. For this reason<\/span><\/p>\n

he has been christened the \u201cEternal Minister of Labour and Social Policy\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Projects for 500 million BGN and an EU funding program – marred by corruption<\/span><\/p>\n

The audit report\u2019s excerpt has revealed breaches, some of which are stunning:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 applicant companies wrongfully disqualified;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 discriminatory conditions in favour of a certain applicant company;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 failure to adhere to correct procedure;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 direct agreements with certain companies;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 fraudulent claims about the completion of existing contracts;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 defective or forged protocols for the approval of completed work. The list of errors is huge, the auditors also adding that there are multiple instances of:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 direct assignment of funds, where only one applicant has been allowed \u2013 for massive amounts over 100 000 leva;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 payment for uncompleted work;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 wrong, improper, and forged documents, or<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 documents significantly delayed ,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 start of operation protocols benefiting the implementing company;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 discriminatory conditions;<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2013 lack of coordination of technical requirements, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

The audit itself is a record in itself, consisting of over 200 pages of judgments and conclusions. The institutions within the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy obvously worked well since they were able to identify and describe the financial breaches in such a detailed and well-argued form, and with more than enough indicators and examples of corrupt practices on an especially large scale. Some of the breaches described can even be classified as\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

crimes related to document fraud and abuse of office.<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is just an excerpt that landed in the auditors\u2019 hands, with the conclusions drawn leading to doubts about the completion of entire projects valued at over 500 million BGN. The scale of the revealed breaches is so large that it is a jeopardy to the EU\u2019s Human Resources Development Operational Program (HRDOP). The Agency for Employment has denied the auditors\u2019 conclusions, but the auditors have accepted almost nothing from the Agency\u2019s claims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some examples from the epic audit report uncover data pertaining to monstrous corruption, which has turned into a way of life for the entire system in the ministry, tasked with the most humanitarian mission of caring for the weakest people in our society. Instead of this,<\/span><\/p>\n

we see a picture being painted of brutal mishandlings of massive financial assets<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

which is an indication of the bizarre role of a state seized by the mafia.<\/span><\/p>\n

A couple of random samples from the audit in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cMB Engineering 2001\u201d Ltd. page 43 Contract for 162 thousand leva, just one candidate invited, incomplete technical specifications, the delivery is allowed to unify their positions. A protocol is created from the beginning of operations, later the candidate is given the opportunity to work more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMB Engineering<\/span> SMR\u201d <\/span>\u00a0\u2013 page 34, only one candidate was invited. Totally rigged operation. A contract worth 516 thousand BGN without VAT. Paid despite incomplete work <\/span>\u2013 3856 BNG Targovishte, 2.3.2 \u2013 3458 BGN, Razgrad, 2.3.3. 6158 BGN,\u00a0 \u2013 Russe.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Company \u201cMB Engineering 2001\u201d has received 9.5 million BGN from public procurement, primarily from the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are clear indirect links to circles close to GERB and the network around Borissov<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The owner of this priority beneficiary of millions co-owns another company with Stanislav Nedkov (Staki), who has evolved within a short span of time from an MMA fighter to a politician.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClima Engineering<\/span>\u201d, SMR, two contracts in two positions, 66,000 BGN and 132,000 BGN. A protocol was created at the start of operations, later the candidate is given the opportunity to work again. There are no clear technical specifications, which allows the provider to cheat.<\/span><\/p>\n

ET Perla 2013 \u2013\u00a0 Galina Alexsandrova. Page 49, assigned directly, lying in the finished product and during its executions.<\/span><\/p>\n

ET Perla 2013 \u2013\u00a0 Galina Alexandrova, page 53 \u2013\u00a0 69,000 BGN, a call for offers, limited conditions for participation, which don\u2019t correspond to the requirements for an auction of this kind. The entire auction is designed to benefit ET Perla 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

ET Perla 2013 \u2013 Galina Alexandrova, page 56 \u2013\u00a0 36 thousand leva, assigned directly.\u00a0 Forklifts, which aren\u2019t being used and are in storage despite their purchase supposedly being urgent when they were bought.<\/span><\/p>\n

The private company from the town of Lukovit, which is clearly a priority beneficiary of the Agency for Employment, is registered with an average of two employees throughout the years according to the National Social Security Institute (NSSI). How can a company like Perla 2013, whose main area of business according to registration documents is hospitality and family tourism, have the resources and capabilities to win a series of\u00a0 large public procurement contracts is a question that must be asked to the investigative bodies and the judiciary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSiscom Engineering\u201d \u2013 Video surveilance, 748,000 BGN, page 57. The prognose price of 750,000 BGN, without the appraisal of an expert whether this is the right prognose amount. A lot of funds are being spent foolishly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSiscom\u201d is one of the emblematic winners from public procurement competitions in Bulgaria across all institutions. The total sum of the projects in which the company participated is up to 15 million BGN. The investigation suggests that it is connected with a web of companies close to the infamous casino boss Vasil Bozhkov (The Skull), who is currently hiding in Dubai.<\/span><\/p>\n

4 years ago \u201cSiscom\u201d gained notoriety with the news that it was chosen, alongside a Romanian company, to make an intelligent system for traffic controll on the Trakia highway. There have been no results on that up to the present moment. A Capital investigation discovered that:<\/span><\/p>\n

the company is linked to countless public procurement contracts in the country mainly in Sofia,<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The company also received money from public funds and according to the investigation the \u201cSiscom\u201d network involves many employees, dozens of other companies and a Cyprus offshore firms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Siscom Engineering \u2013 video surveillance, 669,000, page 51, the procedure is not included in the planned schedule for public procurement, large funds are being spent without a clear purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cLead Vision\u201d \u2013 video surveillance, 299,000 BGN, page 65. The procedure is not included in the planned schedule for public procurement, many funds are being spent without a clear purpose.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLead Vision\u201d is a part of a network of connected companies including \u201cSiscom Engineering\u201d. \u201cSiscom Engineering \u2013 video surveillance, 355,000 BGN, page 69, agreement without prior announcement, for the maintenance of out of warranty video surveillance equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is sheer robbery.<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I sell you something under a contract that does not include maintenance and then I ask for more money to perform that maintenance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStemo Ltd\u201d \u2013 4 million leva, page 72. Printing, copying, scanning, \u2013 clear robbery, money is being given away without consideration whether the spending is necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStemo\u201d is one of the oldest IT companies in Bulgaria and the beneficiary of more than 130 million BGN on public procurement contracts over the last few years. The company was bought by the mobile operator A1 last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRed star Bull\u201d\u2013 cleaning for 1.9 million BGN, page 75 \u2013 it\u2019s not clear whether this cleaning was necessary. Activities are generalised and lumped together instead of being split into smaller parts. The company is the only one to benefit. Money is spent foolishly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCiela Norma\u201d AD \u2013 149,000 BGN, page 84, software development for an online labour exchange. Yet another clear robbery.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLead Vision\u201d \u2013 IT maintenance, 69,000 BGN, page 94.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another company from the \u201cSiscom\u201d network, a major recipient under suspicious public procurement contracts from the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy. Perla 2013 \u2013 Galina Alexandrova, page 97 \u2013 69,000 BGN, for the delivery of doors. It was not included in the plan for the money.<\/span><\/p>\n

The usual \u201cpiggy banks\u201d for money from public procurement including EU funds have been outed as illegal in the audit – they stand out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Corruption suits us<\/b><\/h1>\n

A<\/span> new irregularity is added to the audit protocol. The dates on the protocols entered in the Information System for Management and Monitoring of EU Funds in Bulgaria don\u2019t match up with the original protocols. This is done to avoid corrections for the companies which don\u2019t complete the work under their contracts on time. It is pure forgery of the protocols.<\/span><\/p>\n

The PFIA and the Chief Prosecutor\u2019s office have come out with no corrections and decisive actions against the staggering breeches. Despite the fact several investigations have been initiated, work on them seems to be deliberately stalled with the sole purpose of gaining time so that<\/span><\/p>\n

the crimes can disappear into the abyss of ubiquitous theft<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

by those in power and ultimately be forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which is absolutely unacceptable from the practical point of view in this scenario, especially when we are talking about embezzlement on a massive scale and suspicions of the abuse of office. Both qualify as crimes under the Bulgarian Penal Code (!).<\/span><\/p>\n

Presumptions of lawlessness and impunity<\/b><\/h1>\n

When the public finds out about these previously hidden facts, they will inevitably get the impression that there are too many indicators of corruption and fraud inside the public procurement system involving EU funds. And that those funds have often been distributed among certain \u2018friendly\u2019 companies. What did the government do and did it take action against those responsible?<\/span><\/p>\n

in a normal organisation persons would get fired and taken to court.<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s absurd that the main individuals responsible for the infractions (so far) \u2013 the previous CEO of the Employment Agency Dragomir Nikolov and his direct superior, former deputy minister and current minister Lazar Lazarov \u2013 are not at all worried about the PFIA investigations, the prosecutor\u2019s inquiry and the internal audit(!):<\/span><\/p>\n

In cases like these it is imperative that the implicated individuals are released from duty until its conclusion. This didn\u2019t happen with any of the investigations here. Nikolov just returned to his old position \u2013 head of the regional division of the Agency for Employment in Russe, whereas the \u201ceternal minister\u201d Lazarov was appointed as head of the entire institution. The resoning for the dismissal of individuals for whom there is serious evidence of crime and coruption is to prevent them from using their position to influence the outcome of the investigations. Sources from within the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy said that\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They not only impeded the search for the truth through their staffing and administrative decisions but key documents within the ministry disappeared or were destroyed.<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Employee clearouts and continued embezzlement through public procurement contracts worth dozens of millions can not be challenged by anyone. Such actions would be a serious setback to the success of the investigations, they could make them completely pointless.<\/span><\/p>\n

Long time workers in the system shared that the main \u201cumbrella\u201d over Lazarov and Nikolov for years was the former GERB regional coordinator and former MP \u2013 Plamen Nunev.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Plamen Nunev<\/p><\/div>\n

Nunev is known as the most powerful man whose approval and blessing is a must for all corruption projects and public finances in the region must pass. Especially those linked to one of the biggest recipients of EU funding, the Agency for Employment.<\/span><\/p>\n

That is exactly the link behind Dragomir Nikolov’s return as regional head in Russe instead of being dismissed while being investigated and interrogated by the NIS.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evidence and documents for some of the key checks in the ministry have disappeared and been destroyed(!) Such actions would greatly diminish the likelihood of a successful end to the investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bivol continues its investigation, because the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy is giving no indication of the existence of a second audit report about the substantial infractions and financial corrections. Bivol\u2019s specific question:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you aware of the existence of a second audit report in the period 2021 – 2022 regarding assigned and completed public procurement contracts in violation of the public procurement law?\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The answer from minister Lazarov was the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the above mentioned period the internal audit directorate of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy has carried out an audit (i.e. one – editor\u2019s note) to assess the procedures according to which public procurement was planned and administered by the Agency for Employment.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Plamen Nunev<\/p><\/div>\n

As our editorial office is currently in possession of that so far unknown but very interesting and important document revealing the actions of the government institution and its spending of millions of European funds, our investigation will be continued(!)<\/span><\/p>\n

Bivol\u2019s publications will be coupled with the relevant documents and submitted to the European prosecutor\u2019s office, to be seen by Laura Kovesi.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(To be continued).<\/span><\/p>\n

Screenshots and collage: Bivol\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

*Updated on 6 April 2023 to include the link to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy\u2019s right to reply.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Financial abuse valued at a couple hundred million euro have been exposed at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. 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The beneficiary is the company NEDA AVRAMOVA - NEDA. The sole owner of the company is Neda Krassimirova Avramova, sister of Blagoevgrad\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/velika-kushta-za-gosti.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/velika-kushta-za-gosti.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/velika-kushta-za-gosti.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/velika-kushta-za-gosti.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/velika-kushta-za-gosti.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/velika-kushta-za-gosti.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":64627,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/son-in-law-of-bulgarian-small-town-mayor-absorbs-eu-subsidies-after-being-sanctioned-for-abuses.html","url_meta":{"origin":103336,"position":2},"title":"Son-in-Law of Bulgarian Small Town Mayor Absorbs EU Subsidies after Being Sanctioned for Abuses","author":"Dimitar Stoyanov","date":"25 September 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Georgi Nukov, who is the live-in boyfriend of the daughter of Kosta Karanashev, Mayor of Bulgaria\u2019s town of Kotel, keeps submitting winning bids for European Union (EU) projects and absorbing subsidies through his company Melissa 78, although he has been sanctioned as a farmer in 2018. The information about the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DFZ"","block_context":{"text":"DFZ","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/b-files-en\/dfz-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/taneva-karanashev.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/taneva-karanashev.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/taneva-karanashev.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/taneva-karanashev.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47907,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/yet-another-phony-probe-finds-just-5-guesthouse-irregularities.html","url_meta":{"origin":103336,"position":3},"title":"Yet Another \u2018Phony\u2019 Probe Finds Just 5% Guesthouse Irregularities","author":"Dimitar Stoyanov","date":"11 July 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MAF) has checked 288 guesthouses under monitoring and another seven that are not, according to Minister Desislava Taneva, which reported the results of the inspections at a special press conference at the MAF. Of the 288 projects, 15 do not operate as guesthouses.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/5kushti.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/5kushti.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/5kushti.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/5kushti.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/5kushti.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35939,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/bulgarian-education-ministry-there-is-no-eu-funds-adjustment-but-it-amounts-to-bgn-50-million.html","url_meta":{"origin":103336,"position":4},"title":"Bulgarian Education Ministry: There Is No EU Funds “Adjustment”, But It Amounts to BGN 50 Million","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"1 November 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The frozen European money for Bulgarian science amounts to slightly over BGN 50 million out of a total of BGN 268 million. The Minister of Education and Science admitted two days ago that there are frozen funds without specifying the amount. The amount becomes clear from the MES response to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"mon-corrections","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/mon-corrections.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/mon-corrections.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/mon-corrections.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/mon-corrections.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39660,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/embezzlement-by-bulgarian-state-fund-agriculture-continues.html","url_meta":{"origin":103336,"position":5},"title":"Embezzlement by Bulgarian State Fund Agriculture Continues","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"20 May 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Two years ago, Bivol published an expert report describing the mechanisms for misappropriating European money. The report matched a series of investigations into theft from road construction, guesthouses, and other schemes that drain European taxpayers' money under the so-called \"Rural Program\" (Rural Development Program, RDP). These publications also echoed in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/dfz.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/dfz.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/dfz.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/\u0421\u043d\u0438\u043c\u043e\u043a-\u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430-2023-03-30-\u0432-17.40.52.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20614"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103336"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":103351,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103336\/revisions\/103351"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}