The Director of the Sofia Regional Prosecutor's Office, Chief Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov, representatives of the management of the Sofia Regional Prosecutor's Office, the chairman and members of the Council of Notaries at the Notary Chamber, as well as Sofia Municipal Councilor Dimitar Shalafov held a working meeting dedicated to the creation of a more effective mechanism for early detection and prevention of property fraud.
The meeting is part of the initiative of Municipal Councilor Dimitar Shalafov to develop a mechanism for the municipal administration to act in cases related to background checks and the risk of illegal acquisition of real estate.
The participants discussed the possibilities for faster exchange of information between notaries, the police, the prosecutor's office and municipal administrations in case of suspicions of property fraud. fraud.
Chief Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov emphasized that early recognition of risky cases is key to preventing crimes. According to him, the timely provision of accurate and structured information about the property, the applicant, the proxies, the witnesses and the submitted documents would allow the police authorities to react significantly faster and more effectively.
During the meeting, Dimitar Shalafov presented proposals for more in-depth checks in municipal registers and files, the introduction of clear risk indicators and timely reporting of established inconsistencies or data on possible fraud.
The preparation and subsequent approval in the relevant order of a unified form of application-declaration for a detailed inspection, containing the necessary details for a more complete establishment of the facts, verification of the requested data and early recognition of risky cases, were discussed.
Among the proposed measures are also the development of a checklist for the inspections carried out, notification of interested parties, a standardized signal template and a procedure for rapid communication between institutions in the event of an immediate risk of unlawful acquisition or disposal of real estate.
Chief Commissioner Peltekov stated the readiness of the Sofia Police to actively participate in the development of specific rules for inter-institutional coordination and in the establishment of a mechanism for timely response to high-risk signals.
The participants united around the understanding that institutions must not only talk, but also act together. Each of them should, within its legal powers, do its utmost to protect property and the rights of citizens.
The common position is that prevention remains the most effective tool against property fraud. The constant exchange of information, good coordination and timely response can prevent the crime before severe and difficult-to-repair consequences have occurred for the owners.