The mayor of Omurtag was arrested

The mayor of Omurtag and his father are being investigated for a corruption scheme in public procurement. Eshref Eshrefov and his father Hassan were arrested on February 20. The father is accused of leading an organized criminal group and the mayor of being a member of it.

The mayor fainted when arrested and is currently in the hospital in Omurtag under guard. According to unofficial information, he had a cardiac disorder and is in the neurological ward with suspected micro-stroke.

Nearly a year ago, Eshrefov and all of the municipal councillors, at the time, left the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, but in the autumn the mayor won a second term.

The investigation against the mayor of Omurtag, Eshref Eshrefov, began for corruption several months ago at the District Prosecutor's Office in Targovishte. However, it was transferred to the capital's prosecutors to ensure objectivity and avoid the risk of local dependencies influencing the work.

Thus, sufficient evidence is being gathered that public procurement contracts in Omurtag were won by different companies, under seemingly regular procedures. Immediately after the award, however, the winning company transferred the contract to another company owned by the mayor's father. Eshrefov and his father were arrested yesterday, but one went to custody and the mayor to hospital.