The changes in the leadership of “Automagistrali” preceded the rotation and became a fact on the day when the “Denkov” cabinet resigned. This is the key state company that manages over BGN 4 billion for the construction of the Hemus and Botevgrad – Vidin highways, filled with in-house procedures at the time of GERB. Corruption practices and illegal contracts were exposed by Asen Vasilev in 2021, when he first became finance minister in Stefan Yanev’s office, together with then construction minister Violeta Komitova.
While GERB and “We continue the change – Democratic Bulgaria” (PP-DB) are talking to the public about the development of rules for the appointment in regulators and in state-owned companies, four of the 5-member board of directors of the state-owned company have been replaced. This is done by the decision of the regional minister Andrey Tsekov on March 5 – the day on which Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov submitted his resignation to the government.
Vladimir Trifonov, Geno Georgiev, Kalin Yankov and Ivelina Krushkova have been dismissed from the Board of Directors of “Avtomagistrali”. They were appointed during the interim governments of President Rumen Radev.
Ivelina Marinova, Stanislava Varadinova, Stefan Atanasov and Daniel Mihalev have been appointed in their place until a competition is held.
“The castings are coordinated with GERB and part of the new appointments are their nominations“, Andrey Tsekov commented at the report of what was done by the government, without specifying who proposed whom.
He was elected chairman of the new board of directors Stefan Atanasov, with whom Andrey Tsekov was a partner until two years ago. The 28-year-old Daniel Mikhalev was registered as the coordinator of the PP in last year’s elections in Burgas. Stanislava Varadinova is in charge of public procurement in the Council of Ministers, and her husband is an investigative police officer and was involved in the investigation into the millions siphoned off on the Hemus highway contracts.
Ivelina Marinova was the manager of security and road companies registered in Pernik and owned by Borislav Metodiev Borisov. It is unofficially claimed that she is from the DPS quota.
The only one who keeps his post is the executive director Eng. Ivan Stanchev. He started working at “Automagistrali” already at the time of GERB, appointed by Stoyan Belichev to be responsible for the in-house contracts for the landslides, but became a director under the interim government of Galab Donev.
On Thursday, the former spokesman of the official offices, Anton Kutev, showed bTV a folder with the in-house contracts for the “Hemus” highway and the money distributed for it. The money has been given, but there is no highway, and that is what supports the assembly – power and money, Kutev said.
The official motive for the castings – ADFI report
The official reason for the changes in “Automagistrali” is a report by the State Financial Inspection Agency (ADFI). It says that massive violations of the Law on Public Procurement have been found and that control for legality was not systematically exercised in the awarding of construction, supplies and services by “Automagistrali”, according to a statement from the Ministry of Public Procurement.
After receiving the document, Minister Tsekov took it “immediate measures to end the established vicious practices and optimize the operational management of the company”.
The ADFI report is from mid-January 2024, and the “immediate measures” were taken in March. The inspection of “Automagistrali” is for the period from January 1, 2018 to July 30, 2023. The inspectors mainly checked the contracts under the in-house procedures related to the construction of the “Hemus” and Vidin – Botevgrad highways, the strengthening of the landslides and the maintenance of the highway sections from the state-owned company.
The repeatedly repeated violations from the time of GERB, when he was the head of “Automagistrali” company, have been established Stoyan Belichev, as well as by his successor, Desislava Hristova. In the report available to Mediapool, it is stated that Belichev was also served with a criminal decree.
If there are violations of assignments, as the minister claims, why does the current executive director remain in office Ivan Stanchev, who is responsible for the operational management of the company, and the former head of public procurement in “Automagistrali” – Joana Pelovska makes her the chief secretary of API, asks the fired Vladimir Trifonov. He told Mediapool that he has already appealed against his dismissal.
Vladimir Trifonov joined the board of directors of “Automagistrali” during the interim government of Stefan Yanev as an independent member of the Board of Directors after a competition.
In the last four years, usually almost all appointments in state-owned companies have been made in this way – first temporary directors, who then win the contests for “permanent” positions until the change of power.
Former partner of the minister headed “Automagistrali”
The new board of directors of “Automagistrali” held its first meeting on March 6 – the day the parliament voted the resignation of the government. He was elected chairman of the board of directors lawyer Stefan Atanasovwho was a partner with the regional minister Andrey Tsekov.
In July 2019 Stefan Atanasov together with Andrey Tsekov and Lyubimka Lubomirova founded the company “Veridea” Ltd. in Trastenik, district Pleven. The company deals with the purchase of agricultural land, trade in planting material and agricultural machinery. Each of the partners has equal shares. The company’s capital is BGN 24,000, according to a reference in the Commercial Register.
Andrey Tsekov will leave the company in December 2021 after becoming an MP with the list of “Continuing the change” in the 47th National Assembly. He transfers his company share to his wife Denitsa Tsekova. In September 2023, Stefan Atanasov donated his shares to Andrey Tsekov’s wife Denitsa, who today manages the company for the purchase of agricultural land.
Andrey Tsekov told Mediapool that “there is no conflict of interest” because he and Stefan Atanasov are not partners at the moment. He refused to say whether his wife’s company had bought agricultural land through which the route of the future “Hemus” highway should pass. Mediapool also contacted lawyer Atanasov by phone. He promised to call back but never did.
In addition to being a lawyer, Stefan Atanasov is also a farmer. In November 2020, he registered the company “Inari 73” again in Trastenik. The company has a capital of BGN 100 and is engaged in cultivation of agricultural crops and trade. In November 2023, Atanasov sold his company to Zinka Atanasova, who is most likely his mother, a reference in the Commercial Register shows.
Stefan Atanasov was also a partner with the former Minister of Justice Anton Stankov from the NDSV in the consulting company Teazers-Bulgaria, according to a reference in the Commercial Register. Stefan Atanasov is also on the Board of Directors of Trastenik Football Club
And the other new additions
On the board of directors of “Automagistrali” is also Ivelina Nikolaeva Marinova. She was the manager of the security company “Viper 2 Security” EOOD, “Road Networks” EOOD and “Orion 02”, according to a reference in the Commercial Register. She graduated in “Transport Technology and Management” at the “Todor Kableshkov” Higher School of Transport, she has a master’s degree in “Economics and Finance” from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, says the announcement of the Ministry of Transport and Tourism.
Another addition is the 28-year-old Daniel Stanimirov Mihalev. He is an activist of “We continue the change” for the Burgas region and was responsible for the organization of the elections. He graduated in law from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. His professional path has passed through two law firms, an auditing company, the Sofia District Court and a notary’s office, according to the announcement of the MRRB. Mihalev was a legal consultant in the office of “Buzalov and Chanova”. In November 2023, he registered the real estate company “Insight Consulting”, and a year earlier the “Academy for Social Innovations” foundation. Daniel Mihalev is also in the management of Burgas swimming club “Pobeda”.
The latest addition to the board of directors is Stanislava Georgieva Varadinova. She is a lawyer by training. She worked in the Operational Program “Administrative Capacity” at the Ministry of Finance, senior expert at the “Monitoring and Verification” Department of the “Good Governance” Directorate at the Administration of the Council of Ministers, senior expert at the State Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation, senior expert at the Department “Implementation of projects” of the General Directorate “European Funds for Competitiveness” under the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, says the announcement of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
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