Prosecutor's Office Investigates Misappropriation of EU Funds by Deputy Minister Alexander Manolev

The Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office has instituted an investigation following media reports about misappropriation of EU funds by the deputy minister of economy, said the Prosecutor's Office. 
Following a publication by Mediapool website entitled: "Private villa with pool under EU project? Dep. Minister Manolev denies" and other media reports, on 15 April 2019, the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office instituted an investigation into alleged crimes committed by a senior public official - Alexander Manolev, Deputy Minister of Economy, affecting the EU's financial interests.
The prosecutors requested from the Agriculture State Fund a copy of the project cited in the publications for the construction of a guest house near the town of Sandanski funded under the Rural Development Programme.
The investigation will question any person who has information on the case, officials who worked on the grant application and the authorisation of the payments, and will establish whether the beneficiary has fulfilled their obligation to use the acquired property in accordance with its intended purpose under the farm diversification grant programme.