Bulgarian Ethnic Turks Leader: Consulting Fee Was Not Bonus

Politics » DOMESTIC | March 7, 2012, Wednesday // 14:58
Bulgarian Ethnic Turks Leader: Consulting Fee Was Not Bonus: Bulgarian Ethnic Turks Leader: Consulting Fee Was Not Bonus Ethnic Turkish leader, Ahmed Dogan (front), has been allegedly involved in large-scale political corruption schemes, has breached the conflict of interest provisions and has served private interests. Photo by BGNES

The leader of the Bulgarian ethnic Turkish party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, Ahmed Dogan, refused to return his huge consultancy fee, saying it had not been a bonus.

Dogan made the comment for the media Wednesday, after meeting with President, Rosen Plevneliev, within the frame of the so-called "month of political consultations."

Earlier during the day, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, announced that all Bulgarian government officials have returned bonus payments per his order and called on Dogan to return the fees he received for consultation services on the Tsankov Kamak hydroelectric power plant project.

"Bonuses must be given in all administrations and in any country, but according to clearly established rules. Bonuses in Bulgaria are legal and based on texts from about 50 Acts; they are traditional in the country's modern history," the DPS leader stated.

He stressed that during the previous cabinet of the Three-Way Coalition, of which DPS was a member, the country experienced an economic revival, and bonuses have been low compared to that. Dogan was adamant bonuses must be given for good job performance, not to buy political loyalty.

As a member of the former three-way coalition cabinet, the ethnic Turkish leader had allegedly pocketed BGN 1.5 M as a consultant of four large-scale hydroelectricity projects, funded by the state - 'Tsankov Kamak', 'Dospat', 'Gorna Arda' and 'Tundzha' Dam.

The scandal erupted in May 2010 after a visit of Borisov to the site of the hydroelectric power plant 'Tsankov Kamak', where he revealed that a huge hike in the initial price has been discovered.

The money for the hydro power plant "Tsankov Kamak", from where Dogan took the sky-high payment as an "expert," was paid by the state-owned National Electricity Distribution Company (NEK), left in tatters after the ruling of the previous cabinet.

Dogan holds a philosophy degree and has no qualifications in civil engineering.

It was announced meanwhile that one senior official had been fired for failing to return his bonus – Vladimir Stratiev, Chief of Political Cabinet of Environmental Minister, Nona Karadzhova.

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Tags: hydro-power plant, Tsankov Kamak, Ahmed Dogan, conflict of interest, DPS, consulting fee, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, bonus payment, bonus, bonuses, three-way coalition

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