Petrich Mayor Indicted by European Public Prosecutor's Office

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has filed an indictment in the Sofia City Court against Dimitar Brachkov, the Mayor of Petrich, Bulgaria. He is accused of fraud related to the misuse of European Union funds.

The case involves the ‘Cultural Dipole in Cross-Border Area’ project, which aimed to promote the shared cultural heritage of Bulgaria and Greece. The project received approximately €650,000 from the European Regional Development Fund under the INTERREG V-A Greece-Bulgaria program.

According to investigators, the funds were specifically allocated for the renovation and rehabilitation of existing former military barracks to transform them into a local history museum. However, the prosecution alleges that the original structures were demolished before construction began, and an entirely new building was erected in their place. The indictment claims the mayor concealed this fact to bypass EU funding requirements that permit renovation but not new construction. If convicted, Brachkov faces a prison sentence of two to eight years.