Police, Prosecutors, Notarial Chamber and Sofia Municipality Discuss Measures to Combat Property Fraud

The Director of the Sofia Directorate of the Interior, Chief Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov, representatives of the leadership of the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office, the Chair and members of the Council of Notaries at the Notarial Chamber, and Sofia municipal councillor Dimitar Shalafov held a working meeting focused on establishing a more effective mechanism for the early detection and prevention of property fraud, the Interior Ministry's press office said on July 23.

The participants discussed ways to accelerate the exchange of information between notaries, the police, the Prosecutor’s Office and municipal authorities in cases where property fraud is suspected.

Chief Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov stressed that the early identification of high-risk cases is crucial to preventing such crimes. According to him, the timely provision of accurate and structured information about the property, the applicant, authorised representatives, witnesses and the documents submitted would enable the police to respond far more quickly and effectively.

During the meeting, Dimitar Shalafov presented proposals for more comprehensive checks of municipal registers and case files, the introduction of clear risk indicators, and the prompt reporting of inconsistencies or evidence suggesting possible fraud.

The participants also discussed drafting and formally adopting a standardised application and declaration form for title verification procedures. The document would contain the necessary information to allow for a more thorough establishment of the facts, verification of the information provided, and early identification of high-risk cases.

Other proposed measures include the introduction of a standardised inspection checklist, the notification of interested parties, a uniform reporting template, and a fast-track communication procedure between institutions where there is an immediate risk of the unlawful acquisition or disposal of real estate.

Chief Commissioner Peltekov reaffirmed the Sofia police's readiness to take an active role in developing specific rules for interagency coordination and establishing a mechanism for the swift response to high-risk alerts.