Bulgarian Businessman Acquitted of SAPARD Abuse Charges

Crime | January 12, 2009, Monday // 00:00

The Plovdiv District Court acquitted Tuesday the Sofia businessman Marin Dipchev who had been charged with siphoning off BGN 612 000 of SAPARD Program funds.

Dipchev was only sentenced to a fine of BGN 2 500 as he was found guilty of submitting documentation (Acts 14 and 15 of the application form) with incorrect information to the SAPARD Executive Agency.

As the Manager of the Dry Onion Company, Dipchev applied for BGN 612 000 of SAPARD aid for the construction of a dried vegetables facility in the town of Klisura.

The graphology inspection showed it was not Dipchev who signed the two documents with false information.

At the same, the Court ruled that the decision of the SAPARD Executive Agency (State Agriculture Fund) to allocate the sum of BGN 612 000 was not based on Acts 14 and 15 of the application form.

Dipchev's lawyers put the blame for the violation on the two men who succeeded their client as Managers of the company, and who were taking part in the present trial as witnesses.

Both the defense and the prosecution vowed to appeal the verdict.

"This is the first case for a SAPARD violation, and as we lack any precedents, it might be better if the case reaches the Cassation Court", the Prosecutor Dimitar Panayotov said after the trial.

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