Bulgarian MP Questions FinMin in Science Fund Abuse

The Chair of the Parliamentary Education Committee, Ognyan Stoichkov, is questioning the control of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, on Bulgaria's embattled Science Research Fund.

On Monday, the scandal with abuses at the Fund led to the resignation of its manager and Education Minister, Sergey Ignatov.

Stoichkov, who is a Memberof the Parliament from the far-right, nationalist Ataka party, stated in the aftermath that the Finance Ministry has a representative in the Fund's Managing Board and this individual had the duty to control spending and report to Djankov any noted violations.

The MP further said he was going to request the report from the probe of the Inspectorate at the Council of Ministers that had established staggering violations at the Fund. He will also wait to see the Education Ministry's official objections.

The Committee then might summon Ignatov for a second hearing.

At the first hearing before the Parliamentary Education Committee, Ignatov denied any wrongdoing at the Fund

Stoichkov says amendments to the law governing the Fund that were requested by Djankov are unnecessary since all violations were the personal responsibility of certain individuals.

Meanwhile, the Former Director of the Fund, Emil Horozov is quoted saying the two resignations were expected.

"The resignations came too late, but I cannot blame the Prime Minister for this. He has other things to do, and he needed some solid proof, some solid State probe in order to do something sensible. I am not the PM's advocate though," said he.