Send to Kindle
Laura Kövesi
The European Prosecutor's Office in Sofia has formally charged four individuals in a case involving the misuse of European funds intended to support the employment of people with disabilities.
According to investigators, two companies were set up solely to gain access to a European Union programme financed through the European Social Fund. The scheme was designed to promote labour market integration and social inclusion for people with permanent disabilities. However, the investigation found that the firms had no intention of conducting genuine business activity or offering real jobs to members of the target groups.
Instead, the companies were allegedly created to siphon off EU money earmarked for salaries. With the assistance of a fourth accomplice, three company managers submitted misleading information, claiming they had hired eligible employees who, in practice, carried out no work at all.
The inquiry also established that the supposed employees were instructed to hand back more than half of their declared wages in cash. This method was used to minimise paper traces and conceal the fraudulent nature of the operation.
In total, the two companies received EUR 42,621, equivalent to BGN 83,359. The amount and details were confirmed by the prosecution service led by Laura Kövesi, which is overseeing the case.
Discussion around the admission of third-country workers to the Bulgarian labor market has intensified, often with emotions running high.
Bulgarians are reminded that annual tax returns must be filed by the end of April, with any additional tax due to be paid in euros
On Tuesday, much of Bulgaria will remain under considerable cloud cover.
The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency has detected bacterial contamination and mold in several sandwiches distributed in schools during a series of inspections
Producers of basic food products in Bulgaria are warning that the continuing rise in fuel prices could soon be reflected in the cost of goods on the market.
As of March 16, 2026, Bulgaria’s major and complex dams hold a total of about 4,892.4 million cubic meters of water, which corresponds to roughly 74.85% of their overall storage capacity
Hungary’s political divide was on full display in Budapest on March 15, as rival camps mobilized hundreds of thousands of supporters during the country’s national holiday
The widening conflict linked to the war with Iran has claimed the life of a French soldier in Iraq, while drone attacks and missile launches continued to shake the Middle East on Friday
The European Court of Justice (CJEU) has ruled that Bulgaria must establish clear and effective procedures for the legal recognition of gender identity, including the ability to update personal documents such as identity cards and birth certificates.
The European Parliament has reaffirmed that North Macedonia must continue implementing the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria, as well as the Prespa Agreement with Greece, in line with the EU’s Negotiating Framework
Europe would be making a strategic error if it sought to address soaring energy prices by returning to Russian fossil fuels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Wednesday
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the European Union’s decision to reduce its reliance on nuclear energy a strategic misstep, highlighting the bloc’s dependence on imported fossil fuels
Aniventure Comic Con Returns to Bulgaria with Star Guest Christopher Judge!
Global Fuel Shock: Oil Jumps Over 40% Since Iran War Began
