European Public Prosecutor's Office Filed an Indictment Against the Mayor of Petrich

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia has filed an indictment with the Sofia City Court against the mayor of Petrich. He is accused of fraud in connection with the reconstruction of a building that was intended to be converted into a cultural heritage museum under an EU-funded project.

The case concerns a project to showcase the shared cultural heritage of Bulgaria and Greece, forming part of the “Cultural Dipole in the Cross-Border Region” initiative.

The project received co-financing of €646,857.59 from the European Regional Development Fund under the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme.

The funds were intended to be used to rehabilitate a former military barracks in Petrich and convert it into a museum dedicated to the history of the town and the surrounding region. This forms part of a broader cross-border initiative to promote the shared cultural heritage of Bulgaria and Greece.

However, according to the evidence gathered, the mayor concealed the fact that the original military barracks had been demolished before the construction work began. Although the EU funds allocated to the project could only be used for rehabilitation, the building had in fact been completely rebuilt.

By concealing this information, the mayor breached the eligibility conditions for receiving EU funding.

If found guilty, he faces a prison sentence of between two and eight years.