Interior minister: Over €5m in diverted road funds paid for Peevski flights

Funds from public contracts for road safety barriers were diverted through a company with no real business activity to pay for 36 flights taken by MP and DPS leader Delyan Peevski, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said on Friday. The flights cost more than €5 million, Demerdzhiev told a briefing, adding that the Interior Ministry would send its findings to prosecutors and partner services.

According to the ministry, the company that paid for the flights is owned by the father of Bulgaria’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. A plane used by Peevski was also bought through owners of companies that had received public funds for replacing road safety barriers.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev asked the Foreign Ministry to prepare the ambassador’s recall from the UAE. He said prosecutors would decide whether to seek the lifting of Peevski’s parliamentary immunity.

Peevski denied the allegations, saying he had documents showing that the flights had been paid for by him and his family.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova