Reyhan Habil , the mayor of the Vetovo Municipality near Ruse, was arrested by the local police minutes after he took a EUR1 000 bribe from a local businessman, the police informed Thursday.

Habil, aged 39, told a local businessman who was interested in buying a municipality owned property that his success in the auction would be guaranteed if he pays BGN2-3 000 (EUR1-1 500) in advance. The rest would be negotiated later, the Bulgarian news network reported.

The mayor and the businessman arranged a meeting in a local restaurant where the exchange was to take place. Little did Habil know because the businessman had contacted the police.

Upon leaving the restaurant Habil was arrested as a part of an operation coordinated between the police and the local prosecution. A legal proceeding against the mayor has begun and he will remain under arrest for at least 72 hours before the prosecution comes up with a fixed allegation.

Reyhan Habil, who was elected as mayor after being nominated by the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party (DPS), was involved in another scandal in 2006. Then he had allegedly tried to steal EUR100 000 of flood relief money, sent by the government.

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