BULGARIAN PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE PRESSED CHARGES AGAINST THE MAYOR OF CHELOPECH FOR MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE

The Bulgarian Prosecutor’s office accused Aleksi Kessyakov, the mayor of the village of Chelopech, Western Bulgaria, of malfeasance in office. The investigation began in June 2016, the prosecutor’s office said on 17^th of January.

Aleksi Kessyakov was alleged that on 28^th of April 2014 he violated his official duties and did not meet the requirements of the Law on Financial Management and Control over the Public Sector and Internal Rules and Procedures for the functioning of the financial management and control systems in the municipality. His act resulted in losses to the municipality worth 50,000 BGN.

The investigation identified that the mayor instructed the chief accountant in a phone call to draft and sign a payment order on the basis of which the municipality transferred 50,000 BGN to a consortium. The reason for the transfer written in the payment order was a non-existent legal basis - request 3 under a contract. The mayor knew such payment was not due.

At the same time, the consortium took part in a procurement procedure advertised by the municipality for repair of the local community centre and the kinder garden. One of the requirements for admission to the procedure was the consortium to show it had money in a bank account and to present a bank reference for that.

The court has suspended Kessyakov from office.