site.btaSofia Prosecution Charges Four over Bribery and Organized Crime

Sofia Prosecution Service has indicted and brought charges against four individuals for accepting bribes and participating in an organized criminal group, the Sofia Prosecution Service said here on Wednesday.

The pre-trial proceedings were initiated on June 23 by the Counter-Corruption Commission (CCC) under urgent circumstances and are being conducted by the CCC under the direction and supervision of the Sofia Prosecution Service. Following a review of the evidence collected at the initial stage of the investigation, the supervising prosecutor determined that there was sufficient evidence to bring charges against the accused.

The charges against N.B., Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality, P.R., and S.K. allege that, from early February 2025 to June 24 in Sofia, they participated in an organized criminal group with the aim of committing coordinated official misconduct and accepting bribes. The group was established for financial gain and included an official in its membership.

N.B. is accused that, on June 17 in Sofia, in his capacity as a public official, he promised the mayor of the Lyulin district, Sofia Municipality, a sum equal to 6% of the value of public procurement contracts awarded by the Lyulin district mayor in order to appoint specific associates of N.B. as members of commissions under the Public Procurement Act during the selection of contractors and to declare certain companies designated by N.B. as winners of the public procurement contracts.

P.R. is additionally accused that, on an unspecified date in June 2025 in Sofia, he offered the mayor of the Mladost district, Sofia Municipality, a sum equal to 6% of the value of public procurement contracts for which the Mladost district mayor is the contracting authority, in order to select a company specified by P.R. as the contractor for a public procurement relating to the expansion of a kindergarten.

R.Y. is accused that, on an unspecified date in February 2025 in Sofia, in her capacity as a public official—Deputy Mayor of the Lyulin district, Sofia Municipality—she offered BGN 2,500 to the mayor of the Lyulin district, Sofia Municipality, for the conclusion, on November 25, 2024, of a contract between Sofia Municipality – Lyulin district and a commercial company for the design, repair, and reconstruction of a school yard.

The indictments were delivered to the accused in the presence of their authorized defence counsel.

A cash bail of BGN 5,000 was set for R.Y. A cash bail of BGN 10,000 was set for S.K.

N.B. and P.R. have been detained for up to 72 hours by order of a prosecutor at the Sofia Prosecution Service. On June 26, 2025, the Sofia Prosecution Service is expected to submit a request for remand in custody for both individuals.

On Tuesday, officials from the Counter-Corruption Commission searched Sofia Municipality following reports of pressure exerted on the mayors of the Mladost and Lyulin boroughs and two municipal councillors.

On Wednesday, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev announced on Facebook that he had dismissed Nikola Barbutov from the position of Deputy Mayor.