The Sofia City Court has begun the trial against the former mayor of Varna, Ivan Portnih. All witnesses will be questioned and the case will be heard under the general procedure.
Portnih is accused, along with the former regional governor Stoyan Psev, as well as two state officials from the Executive Agency "Maritime Administration", of fraud related to the reconstruction of a non-existent fishing port. The indictment states that official documents were falsified and false data were provided with the aim of illegally obtaining 3.4 million euros from European funds and funds from the national budget for a project aimed at improving the infrastructure of a supposed fishing port on the outskirts of the city, submitted by Varna Municipality (beneficiary).