Bulgaria's Prosecution Confirms Indictment of Ex-Energy Minister

Former Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Traycho Traykov was indicted in December on charges of abeyance, the prosecuting authority has confirmed.

Rumyana Arnaudova, Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov's spokesperson, has refused to elaborate, but has added more information will be made available on Tuesday, according to news website Dnevnik.bg.

Traykov, who served as Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, announced earlier on Monday he had been slapped with a charge of willful abeyance over the sale of state-owned shares in a Bulgaria-based subsidiary of EVN to the Austrian electricity company.

In a Facebook post, Traykov denied any wrongdoing, arguing the deal, which he had overseen as minister at the end of 2011, complied with the laws.

However, unnamed "magistrates" cited by daily 24 Chasa later announced the situation was different to what Traykov had explained. They are also quoted as saying more people are expected to be indicted soon over the deal.

The development with Traykov, who worked for EVN Bulgaria until taking over the ministry in 2009, is part of an unprecedented wave of court actions against serving and former ministers.

Several former state officials are now facing charges over energy affairs. Three other energy ministers were indicted in the autumn over a deal relating to the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) project.

After the resignation of Boyko Borisov's second cabinet (Traykov served in his first one), two acting ministers, Petar Moskov (health) and Nikolay Nenchev (defense) were also charged.