THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STATE FUND AGRICULTURE ROUMEN POROZHANOV RESIGNED

The Executive Director of State Fund Agriculture Roumen Porozhanov handed his resignation after Bulgarian caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Food Prof Hristo Bozukov officially requested it on 1st of February, the press centre of State Fund Agriculture announced.

Earlier today, the agriculture ministry said the minister demanded Porozhanov to step down from the post. The reasons were public mistrust in State Fund Agriculture, doubts about the legitimacy of the choice of the executive director and a decision of the court to reinstate the previous management.

Another reason cited by Minister Bozukov were signals from beneficiaries about irregularities in some projects and the need of a thorough review of the Fund.

Porozhanov deposited his resignation saying he would not comment the motives with which the resignation was requested, but they were obviously unsubstantiated, especially as regards the public mistrust in the Fund.

State Fund Agriculture – Paying Agency is a key agency allocating national and EU subsidies to farmers. Over the past 6 years, Porozhanov has twice headed the State Fund Agriculture – from 2011 to 2013, and again from November 2014, during the first and second term of office of the government led by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

Porozhanov was a minister of finance in the cabinet led by caretaker PM Georgi Bliznashki between August and November 2014.