The house of the appointed Bulgarian commissioner has caught the interest of Members of the European Parliament.

Two houses owned by the appointed commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva and her husband Angel Zaharieva, located in Bulgaria and Greece, have attracted the interest of members of the European Parliament. This was reported by sources from Euractiv Bulgaria connected to the European Parliament. Questions have arisen regarding the declaration of conflicts of interest submitted by Zaharieva to the European Parliament, which is to be reviewed by the legal committee known as JURI before her hearings.

Euractiv Bulgaria managed to obtain a nine-page declaration from a reliable source. It should be noted that these declarations are not public until the nominations are approved. The document mentions various properties, including a house in Sofia with an area of 484 square meters, built in 2018 on a plot of land of 600 square meters, which was purchased in 2007. Zaharieva also pointed out a house consisting of studios, with an area of 200 square meters, located in Halkidiki, Greece, which was built in 2019 on land acquired in 2008.

In addition, the declaration mentions a current account with a balance of122 thousand leva (61 thousand euros) and an asset in favor of her husband's company, "Anzac Invest" OOD, in the amount of572,622 leva (292,777 euros), as well as savings in the amount of38 thousand eurosIt should be noted that the document does not mention any loans or mortgages. The declaration also states that her husband provided an investment loan to his company "Anzac Invest" OOD in the amount of572,622 leva.

Members of the European Parliament have shown interest due to the lack of clarity regarding the origin of the funds used for the construction of real estate while Zaharieva was serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Zaharieva's name has been involved in several scandalous cases, including the illegal sale of Bulgarian passports in 2018. Zaharieva did not respond to Euractiv's questions about her past. The legal committee of the European Parliament is expected to make a decision regarding the declarations.October 18However, it is possible that the committee will ask additional questions.

In her declaration, Zaharieva mentioned five short-term business trips of two months each, serving as a project manager from 2017 to 2023, without disclosing details about these projects. It remains unclear whether these appointments conflict with her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2021.

In the declarations submitted in Bulgaria, the information about the property of Zaharieva and her husband is much more detailed. The first public property declaration was submitted in 2016 when she was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice. It lists three apartments in Sofia that were purchased in2005,2008and2009In the years. Two apartments are co-owned with her husband Angel Zakhariev. The third apartment (92 square meters), belonging only to her, was purchased in 2005 for51,003 leva (26,000 euros). Apartment area94 square meterspurchased with my husband in 2009, cost205,350 leva (105,000 eurosThe price of the apartment purchased by Zakharieva and her husband in 2008 raises questions, as it amounts to only23,050 leva (11,500 euros) for62 square meters.

In 2016, Zaharieva announced the construction of a house in Sofia, a project she started with her husband in 2008. She also declared land for building a house in Greece in 2008. In her 2016 declaration, she noted that...½ sharein a store in Pazardzhik, purchased in 1996, costing74,800 leva (38,200 eurosIn the declaration submitted in 2016, Angel Zaharieff indicated the presence of bank deposits in Bulgaria amounting to75,000 eurosand15,000 dollarsIn 2018, declarations began to include information about income. This year, Angel Zakhariev reported an income of211,000 levawhile Zakharieva is about66,000 levaIn the same declaration, they mentioned the sale of half of a plot of land in Greece for117,350 leva.

Between 2019 and 2021, Zaharieva declared an income of230,000 leva, mainly obtained from salary. Over the same three years, her husband declared an income of545,000 levaAccording to the 2021 declaration, her husband provided three loans to individuals for a total amount of350,000 levaThe largest credit amounted to268,000 levaHowever, the declaration does not specify who exactly these individuals are.