An investigation by the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has raised concerns regarding irregularities within several public procurement contracts valued at nearly EUR 5 million. The contracts pertain to renovations and architectural supervision at four cultural institutions under the Ministry of Culture: the Aleko Konstantinov State Satirical Theatre, the Drama Theatre in Lovech, the Small City Theatre Behind the Canal, and the National Educational Complex for Culture (NUKK) in Sofia. Daniela Peneva, a legal expert at the ACF, reported that an analysis of the tender procedures revealed multiple violations of established tender conditions.
The ACF noted that email correspondence suggested potential rigging of tenders with a predetermined selection of contractors. Furthermore, documentation review showed that in five of the eight contracts examined, the successful bidders lacked the required history of completing similar projects within the preceding five years. The review uncovered procedural flaws, such as an instance at the Small City Theatre where the evaluation committee disqualified candidates for technical non-compliance only after price proposals had already been opened.
The investigation highlighted recurring links among the winning firms—Crypto Energy EOOD, Multi Stroi Comers EOOD, and D&D OOD—who are associated with the same individuals. Significant concerns were raised regarding potential conflicts of interest involving external experts
Topics: #public #procurement #contracts
It’s concerning to hear that public spending on cultural institutions might be linked to procurement irregularities.