Actions were carried out in the building of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food to investigate a case within the competence of the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
The investigation is related to suspicions of unlawful actions by employees of the "Maritime and Fisheries" Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
This was confirmed by the department.
By order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Georgi Tahov, the administration is providing full cooperation to the investigative authorities. All documents relevant to the investigation are being provided, access to premises and computer configurations is being provided.
"Nova TV" revealed that private homes and work premises in Sofia and Oryahovo were searched as part of the investigation into alleged passive corruption and abuse of office in relation to EU-funded programmes.
The investigation relates to multiple projects funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
It is alleged that in 2024, a company manager was asked for EUR 230,088 to secure approval for a project to build a fish farm on behalf of a high-ranking official from the managing authority of the relevant programme.
The employee is also suspected of abuse of office in order to influence the results of a selection procedure for a project for the processing of fish products under the EMFAF 2021-2027 programme. It is believed that he ordered his subordinates to change a negative assessment of a project proposal in order to provide an undue benefit to a company that did not meet the requirements for the project financing in the amount of 746,397 euros.
Inflated prices are also reported for another project financed by EMFAF - the acquisition of an innovative fish filtration system for 1,375,000 euros - several times above the market value of 436,697 euros.
Earlier today it became clear that the European Prosecutor's Office had carried out searches in buildings in Sofia and Oryahovo, as part of an investigation into corruption related to EU funds for fisheries, bTV also specified.