Bulgaria to investigate ruling party's campaign financing

15/10/2008

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- The chief prosecutor's office announced on Tuesday (October 14th) it told the National Security Agency (NSA) to investigate the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party's (BSP) campaign financing in 2005: specifically, contributions made by three companies owned by businessman Mario Nikolov. Tsvetan Tsvetanov, leader of the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, submitted documents last week, suggesting the BSP received donations worth 77,000 euros from the companies. The funds went to 15 individuals who later donated them, under their own names, to the BSP. Nikolov also appears in a July report by the European Anti-Fraud Office that revealed abuses of 32m euros in funds allocated to Bulgaria under the SAPARD programme. (Darik, novinite.com, Mediapool, BNR, BTA - 14/10/08)