More than 20 officials from the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad were arrested

Special operation was conducted in the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad on 29^th of October. More than 20 people have been arrested, including the Head of the Agency, Petar Haralampiev and the Chief Secretary, Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, said. The Specialised Prosecutor's Office and the Anti-Corruption Commission are investigating an organised criminal group suspected of corruption and documentary crimes.

The operation continued for nearly 8 hours in the building of the agency at "Dondukov 2" in Sofia and in two more cities - Kyustendil and Pleven. Formal pre-trial proceedings were initiated against organised criminal group for documentary offenses on the basis of an alert filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission 4 months ago.

According to unofficial information, the investigation is against an organized criminal group that traded with Bulgarian citizenship. By means of intermediaries in Kyustendil and Pleven, Moldovan, Ukrainian and Macedonian citizens have obtained false certificates for Bulgarian origin, after which they have applied for and have been applied for Bulagarian citizenship with the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad and received such citizenship.

The price paid for such papers was 5,000 euros per person. All day, investigators and officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission conducted searches, seizures and interviews with witnesses in the three cities. Several sealed computers and envelopes with envelopes were taken from the Agency for the Bulgarina Abroad. Deputy chief Prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, said that the proceedings were intimated for an organized criminal group involved in malfeasance, document crimes and bribes. He added that 20 people were detained as well as mebers of the management of the agency, including the Chairperson and the Chief Secretary.