Burgas: eleven detained over alleged corruption in drinking-water contracts
Works on drinking-water reservoirs were allegedly only partly done or not done at all, yet paid in full. Investigators speak of losses running into millions of euros.
Symbolic image · Photo: Vammpi / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (cropped and resized)
Bulgaria's Chief Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDBOP) has detained eleven people. They are suspected of belonging to an organised crime group that allegedly operated in Burgas and Sofia from February 2024 and helped public officials enrich themselves, the BTA news agency reported, citing the directorate. The investigation centres on construction and repair work on reservoirs supplying drinking water to several settlements.
According to investigators, works were carried out only partly, poorly or not at all, but were accepted and paid in full. Under one contract, payments allegedly doubled through additional agreements for "unforeseen expenses", while under another, money was paid for repairs that were never made. GDBOP says individual items were heavily overpriced – for example a stainless-steel ladder for around 850 euros and a PVC door for a water chamber for around 1,600 euros. Payments under the two contracts examined came to almost 8 million euros including VAT.
Investigators searched seven homes, examined 24 crime scenes and questioned 38 people. They seized more than 20,000 euros in various currencies, investment coins, jewellery, watches, documents, electronic devices and ammunition. BTA noted that a former director of the Burgas water utility has already been charged with taking part in an organised crime group and is under house arrest. The investigation is ongoing, and all those concerned are presumed innocent.