An investigation conducted by the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has identified potential irregularities concerning several public procurement contracts awarded to four cultural institutions. The scope of the review covers contracts totaling nearly EUR 5 million for renovations and architectural supervision at facilities under the Culture Ministry, including the Aleko Konstantinov State Satirical Theatre, the Drama Theatre in Lovech, the Small City Theatre Behind the Canal, and NUKK in Sofia. A legal expert from the ACF noted that an analysis of the tender procedures revealed multiple deviations from established tender conditions.
Reviewing documentation for eight contracts, the ACF found that five of the winning companies lacked the required experience in projects of a similar scope over the preceding five years. Furthermore, one review highlighted a procedural flaw where an evaluation committee disqualified candidates for technical non-compliance after price proposals had already been opened. The ACF review points to several concerning patterns.
Multiple awarded contracts were given to three specific companies—Crypto Energy EOOD, Multi Stroi Comers EOOD, and D&D OOD—which reportedly share numerous operational and personal links. Concerns were raised regarding a potential conflict of interest involving two law professionals, Ivan Sotirov and Kristian Sotirov, who served both as external experts preparing documentation and as members of the evaluation committees. A specific instance detailed an internal email communication suggesting that one contractor gained access to sensitive contract information days before the public announcement, potentially violating the principle of equal treatment among bidders.
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Topics: #public #procurement #contracts
The Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) has uncovered potential irregularities in public procurement contracts awarded to four cultural institutions. The review examined contracts amounting to nearly EUR 5 mil