The Botevgrad Mayor Georgi Georgiev has been taken for interrogation at the local Prosecutor's Office earlier on Monday morning.

He is not arrested and he is not a suspect on any investigation. The measure was taken after several unsuccessful attempts on the part of the Botevgrad prosecution to call Georgiev in for questioning.

The investigation was regarding law violations in the tender process concerning road repairs, construction and rehabilitation activities, as well as concerning orders for renting out municipal properties at unprofitable prices. The information on the suspicious deals had been submitted to local authorities by the Bulgarian Court of auditors, as explained by Nina Pancheva, Speaker of the regional Prosecutor's Office.

After the questioning was completed, Georgiev stated that the accusations against him are not well-grounded. He said that they are merely aiming to discredit him prior to the local elections in the country.

This is Georgiev's third mandate as a mayor of the town. Weeks ago Georgiev left the ruling center-right party GERB after PM Boiko Borisov said that he will not be among the nominated candidates in the local election campaign. Curiously enough, he had been a candidate subsequently from the socialists in BSP, and then from the liberal formation NDSV.

According to the Court of Auditors, there have been various violations to laws and rules, including lack of accountability, corruption and conflict of interests.