MPs of Bulgarian nationalist party Ataka have submitted 23 individual claims against Valeri Simeonov, Co-Chair of the nationalist party National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB) and owner of the SKAT TV channel, with the Burgas Regional Court over his statement that Ataka supporters were "stupid, simpletons and ragamuffins."

In a Monday media statement, Ataka expresses hopes that the court will condemn the step, adding that it is inadmissible to describe voters as "stupid, simpletons and ragamuffins" for exercising their right to vote for the party of their preference.

According to the press office of the nationalist party, Ataka MP Desislav Chukolov has submitted signals with the National Revenue Agency (NRA) about financial fraud committed by Simeonov.

One of the tip-offs concerns undeclared revenues from subscribers of SKAT and the other involves undeclared revenues from the optic link which is said to be illegal and not functional yet.

Rumen Sharpov, head of the NRA unit in Burgas, is said to have confirmed that four companies of Simeonov were subject to inspections but he was never probed as a natural person.

"The first inspection of a company of Simeonov was conducted in 2009 by a team of inspectors from Sofia, whom Simeonov obviously managed to bribe, because the inspection was terminated," Ataka's press office says.

The nationalist party demands a tax inspection of Valeri Simeonov in his capacity as a natural person, claiming that the Co-Chair of NFSB enjoyed the protection of the center-right GERB government.

"Ataka will keep track of the NRA unit in Burgas and will demand transparency of the probe and its results in order to stop Valeri Simeonov from racketeering and exerting pressure on citizens and local businesses," the party informs.

Ataka suggests that a meeting of Chukolov with the head of the Regional Unit of the Directorate of National Construction Control confirmed the optic links of SKAT from Nessebar to Sveti Vlas and from Burgas to Sozopol and Primorsko to be illegal and showed that when the proceedings had reached court stage, center-right party GERB had started exercising pressure over law enforcement bodies and the witnesses did not appear to testify.

Chukolov, as cited in the media statement, assures that the negative talk about Ataka on SKAT is part of a deal under which GERB pressured the judiciary into covering up the illegal optic links.

Ataka concludes by inviting Bulgarians to submit tip-offs about fraud schemes and corruption in the Burgas district at its Burgas-based office.

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