The "Stores for the People" chain is closing: 2 million BGN spent, the rest returned to the budget

29.04.2026 | Statistics and regulation

Minister Hristanov announced the closure of the "Stores for the People" chain due to low revenues, links to a sanctioned figure, and suspicious spending. Approximately 2 million BGN has been spent, while the remaining 8 million BGN is being returned to the budget.

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The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food, Ivan Hristanov, announced the closure of the „Stores for the People“ chain.

“Today I am ordering the closure of the company in a manner that minimizes losses for the people,” the minister stated. He specified that of the planned 10 million BGN, about 2 million BGN have already been spent, and the remaining funds will be returned to the budget.

Hristanov pointed out that the initiative was “tragically disgraced” from its very beginning due to links with a “notorious figure sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act.”

According to the minister, for the first three months, with projected revenues of 1.48 million BGN, the actually realized revenues are 420 thousand BGN – less than one third. At the same time, during this period, several individuals received a total of 170 thousand BGN in remunerations.