Police get “donations” from corrupt businessman in latest Dunes Gate scandal installment

The “Dunes Gate” scandal continues as Bulgarian realtor, involved in the controversial real estate project on the Nessebar sand dunes,  was accused of handing out “donations” to the police, Bulgarian press agency novinite.com wrote.

“This was revealed by an investigative material in weekly Tema magazine, which writes that in 2011 [Todor] B donated BGN 5,760 to the Dimitrovgrad police unit for the purchase of fuel,” novinite.com wrote.

The giving of “donations” to the police by privately run firms was reportedly a commonplace occurrence when Tsevetsan Tsvetanov was interior minister, according to the Bulgarian media.

Tsvestanov also allegedly has personal and business links to the notorious entrepreneur Todor B.

The “Dunes Gate” scandal centers on the piece-by-piece acquisition of protected land near the town of Nessebar on the Black Sea coast. It was revealed at the end of 2012, that due to a legal loophole some 29 acres of sand dunes protected by Natura 2000 were brought up by various parties without a tender and for a very low price.

In other news Boycho Georgiev, who runs the environmental watchdog in the city of Burgas, was caught on camera in a car belonging to SLE Group – the company which acquired land in the Nessebar region and tried to develop it.

Georgiev denied having any ties with SLE Group despite having given permission for the controversial development to go forward.