Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

High-profile SAPARD fraud case closed due to expiry of statute of limitations

Mario Nikolov
Photo: BGNES

After 13 years at various instances the case against businessman Mario Nikolov for siphoning off millions in EU funding under the SAPARD programme has been closed due to expiry of the statute of limitations.

The case was closed by the Appellate Specialized Criminal Court. The investigation was among the first in Bulgaria connected with embezzlement of European funding in which Mario Nikolov and several other defendants were charged. According to the prosecutor’s office they received European subsidies on the basis of forged documents, passing off old meat processing machines for new.

Thus the SAPARD saga activated by an OLAF report, is now over without convictions.

Reporting by Silvia Velikova, Horizont channel.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Podkrepa trade union begins protests in key state administrations

“Podkrepa” begins a series of protest actions in key state administrations across the country, BGNES reports. The first of them is today at noon in front of the Central Office of the National Statistical Institute in Sofia and in..

published on 11/20/25 9:57 AM

Average life expectancy in Bulgaria reaches 75.6 years, while in the EU it is 81.4

The average life expectancy in Bulgaria has started to rise again and reaches 75.6 years, the government press service announced. The positive trend is mainly associated with the subsiding impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The average..

published on 11/20/25 9:37 AM

Experts discuss students’ access to social networks

The Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science is organizing a national round table on 20 November on the topic “Are Restrictions Needed on Children’s Access to Social Networks?”   The initiative is in cooperation with the parliamentary..

published on 11/20/25 6:05 AM