Anti-corruption Commission started proceedings against Transport Minister Sabev

The Counter-corruption and Unlawfully Acquired Assets Forfeiture Commission has initiated proceedings over conflict of interest against Transport and Communications Minister Nikolay Sabev and his former deputy, Ilia Iliev, who was dismissed from the post yesterday,February 22, the Commission said on February 23.

The proceedings were initiated in response to received alerts and media publications, which claim that the Transport Minister has continued being a business partner in a private company after stepping into office and the company's activities correspond to Sabev's powers as minister.

The Anti-corruption Commission claims that the alerts allege that Sabev has appointed Ilia Iliev as his deputy in charge of the railway sector, despite the existing information that Iliev has connections with private companies mainly involved in building railway infrastructure, the commissions added.

Iliya Iliev was dismissed as deputy transport minister yesterday at the request of Transport and Communications Minister Nikolai Sabev.

Sabev motivated his request with the decisive and deep reforms launched in the Bulgarian railways, BDZ, and the need for a team to follow the pace of change, a transport ministry statement said.

Two members of the Board of Directors of Holding BDZ EAD - the current chairman Simeon Evtimov and Lyubomir Syarov - were also dismissed yesterday.