European Prosecutor’s Office Brings Former Varna Mayor Ivan Portnih to Court

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Sofia today, December 1, filed an indictment against the former mayor and former district governor of Varna, as well as two officials from the Executive Agency “Maritime Administration”, over an alleged fraud involving the reconstruction of a fishing port that does not exist.

The four are accused of falsifying official documents and providing misleading information in order to unlawfully obtain €3.4 million from the EU and national funds for a project to improve the infrastructure of the supposed fishing port on the outskirts of Varna, the municipality said.

However, the investigation established that no such port existed at the time the funding application was submitted.

Evidence shows that the parcels of land listed in the application as an existing port were, in reality, registered in Varna’s cadastral map as rocks, sand and various other structures.

The investigation indicates that the beneficiaries assembled several pontoons to serve as floating docks, solely to register the site as an existing port.

With the assistance of officials from the “Maritime Administration” Executive Agency, the parcels were then registered as a port.

The damage caused to the EU budget is estimated at approximately €2.8 million, with additional losses to the national budget amounting to €675,475.

If convicted, the former mayor and former district governor face between two and eight years in prison.

The other defendants face sentences of up to five years. The court may also impose bans on holding certain state or public positions.

The case was first reported to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) by the European Anti-Fraud Office, following suspicions of serious irregularities and fraud.

OLAF provided support to the investigation.

The General Directorate for National Police also took investigative action.

All individuals involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent Bulgarian court.