The MRF parliamentary group has submitted a proposal for the National Assembly to hear three ministers due to doubts surrounding the public procurement for the supply and installation of guardrails. The party also insists on clarifying the allegations of a possible political umbrella over individuals and companies related to the contracts.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Galab Donev, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Shishkov and Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev have been called to answer before the deputies.
Public procurement issues
According to data cited by bTV, the DPS wants Donev and Shishkov to provide explanations for the suspicions of corruption in the contracts for guardrails, as well as for the methodology of indexation in public procurement. The party's position states that in some contracts the indices exceeded 160% of the original value.
The DPS also raises the issue of alleged pressure to install guardrails without a contract, a public procurement contract and the necessary certificates. According to the party, the pressure was exerted by Ivan Shishkov on the executive director of “Automagistrali“ EAD Ivan Kunev, after which Kunev resigned.
The MRF stated that they want “the truth about the scheme with the barriers, the vicious connections and corrupt practices“ to be clarified. These allegations do not represent established facts, but are part of the position of the parliamentary group.
Check for political umbrella
The Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev has been called to answer whether he checked the frequent visits of an advisor to Prime Minister Rumen Radev to a hunting farm near Devin and to hotels owned by Nikolay Ivanov.
Nikolay Ivanov is publicly presented with the nickname “Niki the Barrier“ and is the owner of “Jupiter 05“ AD. The position of the MRF claims that companies related to it have negotiated public procurement contracts for over 900 million leva.
The party insists on clarifying whether a “political umbrella“ was used in the case, under which actions of representatives of the authorities and companies close to them were concealed. From the published information it is not clear when the National Assembly will hold the hearing and whether the three ministers will be invited to the same plenary procedure.