Bulgaria's National Culture Fund audited over improper clothing expenditures

The State Audit Office (Smetna Palata) released a report on the National Fund "Culture" (NFK) covering the 2021‑2023 period. The audit identified serious irregularities, including payments of over 600,000 lev for items classified as "work clothing" such as underwear, tourist shoes, skirts, bags and other branded accessories. These expenses were deemed contrary to labour legislation and lacked proper documentation. The report also noted over‑spending on personnel, weak project evaluation criteria that favoured administrative compliance over artistic value, and insufficient competition in public procurement.

Fund director Neli Nedelcheva told BNT that staff salaries remain below the Sofia average and that such clothing costs are not a legitimate way to offset low wages. She said corrective actions have begun, citing legislative changes introduced in 2024 and a deadline of 30 October for implementing the audit’s recommendations. The Ministry of Culture is expected to launch a competition for a permanent director, ending the pattern of temporary appointments. The fund’s total budget was 66.5 million lev, with about 63 million lev spent on cultural projects during the audited years.