The District Prosecutor's Office - Veliko Tarnovo has issued a decree to send a case under its jurisdiction to the Administration of the European Delegated Prosecutors in Sofia.
The decision was made after analyzing materials on a report about inaction by officials in preparing documentation for a construction site - rehabilitation and reconstruction of "Opalchenska" Street in the city. The District Prosecutor's Office - Veliko Tarnovo has opened a case on a report by Angel Yanchev, MP "Vazrazhdane".
He is alerting about actions or inaction by officials on the project "Rehabilitation and reconstruction of "Opalchenska" Street from the connection with road III-514 to the connection with road E85". The project, implemented by the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo, is financed with 2.8 million leva under the program “Interreg V-A Romania – Bulgaria“ 2014-2020. Attached to the report are a letter from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, a Certificate of Suitability of the Construction dated December 30, 2024, and a report with photos showing discrepancies in the condition of the site.
The District Prosecutor's Office assesses that there is no evidence of a crime within its jurisdiction, and transfers the case to the Regional Prosecutor's Office. It has been established that the reports for completed repair activities contain false information, and the payments for them were financed with European funds. This raises suspicions of criminal misuse of European funds, which goes beyond the powers of the local prosecutor's office. The case has been referred to the European Delegated Prosecutors, who have jurisdiction over misuse of EU funds.
The case is now in the hands of the European Delegated Prosecutors, who will decide whether to open an investigation. The case highlights the need for control over EU funds and the role of specialized institutions in the fight against corruption. It is expected to become clear soon whether charges will follow.