The Prosecutor's Office in Bulgaria's capital Sofia is probing the inaction of the Directorate for National Construction Control (DNSK) over the real estate scandal in the Black Sea resort of Primorsko.

The news was reported by the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Valeri Parvanov, who said two pre-trial cases have been filed – one against the high-ranking magistrates involved in the scandal and the second – against the municipal employees, who have allowed the violations.

An investigation of the activities of the Prosecutor from the Burgas Regional Prosecutor's Office, Velichka Kostova, and a Deputy Prosecutor in the beach resort of Tsarevo, has also been launched.

The scandal broke after an investigative report of the Bulgarian weekly “Kapital” revealed that three senior judges from the Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) helped close relatives to obtain beach-front real estate property in Primorsko thanks to their acquired status of people on social benefits.

In the aftermath, the VAS Chair Konstantin Penchev fired the three: Panayot Genkov was removed from office as the Head of the “First A” Department of VAS; Judge Nikolay Urumov was dismissed as the head of the Third Department of VAS; and Judge Andrey Ikonomov was fired from the head position of the Fifth Department of VAS.

In addition, relatives of the former Appellate Prosecutor of Burgas, Yordan Ivanov and of the Head of the Sofia Appellate Court, Veselin Pengezov, have also received building permits.

Prosecutor Parvanov informed the probe aims at finding out if the 5 said magistrates have incited their relatives to profiteer from the properties. The probe of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) had shown that the 3 VAS judges had presided over cases where the Primorsko Town Hall had been a side, thus the Prosecutor has all reasons to investigate them for bribery. Charges have not yet been filed.

The Burgas Prosecutor, Velichka Kostova, is probed by both the Judicial Inspectorate and the Supreme Prosecutor's Office of Cassations for the case of Urumov's daughter, Denitsa Urumova, and Kostova's decision to dismiss the case with the motive she could not find Urumova who, at the same time, had been appointed by the VSS as judge in the Burgas Regional Court.

It was revealed earlier Wednesday that 400 people on “social benefits” have received properties in Primorsko.

Since November 2004, the law prohibits mayors to transfer building rights, and gave the above authority to the municipal councils. In Primorsko, Mayor Dimitar Dimitrov had signed under all contracts. The Prosecutor's Office say they are further investigating all mayors around the country who had made a decision to transfer building rights instead of the municipal councils.

An investigation of the DNSK Head, Ivan Simidchiev, for criminal inaction over the illegal construction of the vacation village “Zlatna Perla” (Golden Pearl) in the beach resort Varvara, is also ongoing. On May 12, Regional Minister, Rosen Plevneliev, had ordered Simidchiev to fulfill his duties and demolish the village, according to the law. The Regional DNSK had refused to initiate the procedure with Simidchiev's blessing, the Prosecutor says.

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