Bulgaria ex-Deputy Parliament Speaker's Undeclared Money Estimated at BGN 7 M

Lawsuits brought by authorities against Bulgarian Parliament ex-Deputy Speaker Hristo Biserov and his stepson will be worth over BGN 7 M, an official has said.

"This is the sum that, as we maintain, has passed through bank accounts and is of inexplicable origin," Plamen Georgiev, who heads Commission for Illegal Assets Forfeiture (CIAF) told private national NOVA TV station.

As for Biserov's stepson, Ivaylo Glavinkov, his suspicious assets in bank accounts and property deals amount to more than BGN 5 M.

Earlier this week, Biserov and Glavinkov's property worth more than BGN 1.5 M was impounded.

An inspection into their assets after pre-trial proceedings were launched against the two over tax crimes and money laundering in November 2013.

Georgiev said on Wednesday that activity might have involved irregularities in their tax statements over the past ten years.

CIAF's head also reiterated that Switzerland had not yet provided information requested by Bulgarian authorities on the accounts of Biserov. The request was motivated with the lack of clarity of Sofia's inquiry.  

Biserov is now being taken to court on three counts, including large-scale tax evasion, violation of the Currency Act's prescriptions on declaring currency deals, and withholding of truth in written declaration under the Publicity of the Property of Persons Occupying High State Positions Act.

In the autumn of 2013 Biserov stepped down as Deputy Parliament Speaker from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS)