An investigation by the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has identified potential irregularities concerning public procurement contracts totaling nearly EUR 5 million for renovations and architectural supervision at four cultural institutions under the Culture Ministry. The affected sites include 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. A legal expert from the ACF noted that an analysis of the tender procedures revealed numerous violations of the established tender conditions.
The review suggested evidence of rigged tenders through internal email correspondence. Furthermore, documentation showed that in five of the eight contracts reviewed, the winning companies had not met the required criteria regarding similar project scope within the past five years. Specific issues were noted at the Small City Theatre, where an evaluation committee disqualified bidders after price proposals were already opened.
The ACF review indicated that the contracts were awarded to companies including Crypto Energy EOOD, Multi Stroi Comers EOOD, and D&D OOD. The investigation uncovered multiple professional links between these entities, including shared addresses and personnel. Concerns were also raised regarding potential conflicts of interest involving external experts, Ivan Sotirov and Kristian Sotirov, who were involved in preparing documentation and serving on evaluation committees.
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Topics: #public #procurement #contracts
The Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has uncovered potential irregularities involving public procurement contracts valued at nearly EUR 5 million. These contracts relate to renovation and architectural supe