Criminal Charges Brought against Five Officials of Bulgaria's Fund for Treatment of Children

Bulgaria's prosecuting authorities have brought criminal charges against the director of the state-run fund for medical treatment of children abroad and four of his subordinates over suspected fraud and abuse of office, bTV reported on Thursday.

Pavel Aleksandrov and seven other officials of the fund were detained on Wednesday during a police raid at the Sofia headquarters of the Fund for Treatment of Children. The fund under the Health Ministry provides organizational and financial support to Bulgarian citizens up to 18 years of age requiring diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that cannot be performed in a timely manner or cannot be carried out in Bulgaria.

Aleksandrov was released from police custody on a BGN 20,000 (EUR 10,000) bail. Another of the detained officials was granted a BGN 15,000 bail, while two others were released on BGN 5,000 bail each, bTV said. The fifth suspect was released on personal recognizance.

The five have been banned from leaving the country.