A former Minister of Agriculture, currently an active grain producer, and a former privatizer, retrained as a hunter, are at the center of a scandal over pressure, threats and an attempt to illegally acquire attractive plots of land in the resort village of Ribaritsa, sources familiar with the case revealed, progledni.com writes.
The main actor in this case is Borislav Bechev - a relatively unknown figure at the national level, but well-known in hunting and agricultural circles. Until the end of March 2025, Bechev was the manager of the hunting and fishing company “Sokol-BLRS“ EOOD, from where he was removed. In parallel, he managed two more companies, one of which owns three regulated land properties with a total area of 31 decares in the attractive part of Ribaritsa.
The scandal erupted after it became clear that Bechev had been exerting systematic pressure on his partner in the company - simultaneously with attempts to force him to transfer his shares to him free of charge, followed by an offer to buy them out for 30,000 leva. This happened at market prices in the region of 20 to 30 euros per sq m - an assessment that makes the proposed amount at least 30 times below the real value of the properties.
After the partner refused, he made a counteroffer - either to buy out Bechev's shares for 300,000 leva, or vice versa. From that moment on, according to the allegations, open harassment and threats began. Bechev hints that behind him is a person known as “Ventsi“, with alleged connections in the judiciary and politics. The threats range from veiled expressions to direct pressure.
A particularly valuable of the properties in question is the one located in the center of the village – with several buildings, including a three-story building suitable for a hotel or guest house. The other plot also includes numerous objects that are rented out, with the income from them being collected unofficially by Bechev himself, claims a source familiar with the company's management.
At the moment, there is no official information about reports filed with the prosecutor's office, but the case raises concerns about potential abuse of official connections and institutional pressure. At the heart of the scandal are issues of conflict of interest, pressure on partners and possible involvement of people from the highest echelons of power.
The investigation is ongoing.
Source: progledni.com