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Bulgaria water utility probe faces political pushback

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What changed

2026-07-29 18:23 UTC → 2026-08-07 21:01 UTC · added removed

The investigation into VIK‑Burgas, the Burgas water utility, began VIK‑Burgas investigation, launched with a July 2026 raid that detained director Tsvetan Mirchev, Mirchev and employee Ilcho Boev and other officials over alleged fictitious repairs and a €303,281 loss. Subsequent raids targeted loss, has expanded through a series of arrests, court actions and political accusations. A second raid on 3 July seized the utility’s testing lab, hotels director and commercial premises, uncovering more than ten regional heads, while a scheme to divert water 6 July court order placed Mirchev and causing multi‑million‑lev losses. The case has been linked to senior political figures, prompting ongoing legal battles over Boev in pre‑trial detention. In late detention and sought permanent arrest. The defendants appealed on 13 July, arguing the evidence does not justify continued detention and requesting house arrest pending expert verification of the alleged fictitious cleaning contracts. On 14 July 2026, anti‑mafia units carried out further raids, detaining regional DPS leader Hristo Shirokata and reshuffling the utility’s board. The probe’s scope widened to alleged water‑siphoning schemes that could have caused multi‑million‑euro losses. Prime Minister Rumen Radev publicly accused Bulgaria’s prosecution service of obstructing the VIK‑Burgas probe, alleging reiterated on 29 July that senior prosecutors repeatedly transferred were obstructing the case between case, citing repeated transfers of the file between Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office and the Burgas District Prosecutorate, creating weeks‑long delays. He claimed “hundreds of millions offices and alleged involvement of levs” were siphoned to party coffers parliamentarians. The courtroom hearing on 7 August charged four suspects, including former director Mirchev and that individuals DPS figure Hristo Shirokov, with parliamentary immunity were involved. Acting Chief participation in an organised‑crime group linked to the misappropriation of public funds. Prosecutor Vanya Stefanova responded by ordering a review by Boyko Demerdzhiev emphasized that the Supreme Cassation Prosecutorate’s Inspectors and promised disciplinary action against any magistrate found money “has a clear address that leads directly to have breached Shirokov,” while Radev warned that the law. The allegations surfaced weeks before law must not become a new Supreme Judicial Council election, intensifying scrutiny of the investigation’s independence. tool for political pressure. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities pursue further evidence and potential links to organized crime.

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  1. 2026-08-07 21:01 UTC Bulgaria water utility probe faces political pushback
  2. 2026-07-29 18:23 UTC Bulgaria water utility probe faces political pushback

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