A large-scale corruption scandal has shaken the Bulgarian investment system after the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office (SCP) brought serious charges against a former head of the Bulgarian Investment Agency (BIA). The official indictment was filed in the Sofia City Court (SCC) in a case that the media is already calling the "golden passports case".
The investigation found systemic violations committed between 2015 and 2020. The main accused is Stamen Yanev - the former chairman of BIA, whom the justice system suspects of committing an official crime with extremely serious consequences.
According to the prosecutor's investigation, Yanev deliberately created conditions for improper acquisition of Bulgarian documents by foreign citizens. The mechanism involved seemingly legal stock transactions in commercial companies that formally looked like legal investment activities.
The initial signal of irregularities was submitted by a member of parliament from the DPS parliamentary group in February 2022. The Supreme Administrative Prosecutor's Office immediately launched a thorough investigation, which subsequently grew into a full-scale criminal proceeding.
A key point in the indictment is the emphasis on the accused's official duties. As the sole authorized head of the agency, Yanev was fully responsible for the lawful management of investment processes. The prosecutor's office categorically claims that his intentional inaction led to prolonged unlawful residence of hundreds of foreigners on Bulgarian territory.
The damages from the committed acts are defined as significant, which further aggravates criminal liability. The first preparatory hearing is pending, which will mark the beginning of the judicial process in this extremely sensitive case.