Bulgarian Ministry of Defense dismisses official amid corruption probe

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defense has dismissed Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Hasamski following a corruption and abuse investigation into military procurement deals. The investigation, conducted by the Military Police and the Military Prosecutor’s Office, began after the Ministry raised concerns regarding contracts that were paid in advance without bank guarantees and involved allegedly falsified documents.

Hasamski, who recently reached retirement age, previously served as deputy head of the Defense Investments Directorate. His department was involved in several high-profile projects, including the modernization of Graf Ignatievo Air Base to accommodate new F-16 fighter jets, the disposal of ammunition through VMZ for sale to Ukraine, and various public tenders for armored vehicles.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed the dismissal is linked to a pre-trial proceeding under the supervision of the Military District Prosecutor’s Office in Sofia, though specific criminal charges have not yet been detailed.