The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) confirmed the decision of the Commission for Combating Corruption and Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Assets (CCCCIP) to establish a conflict of interest with regard to Mayor of the “Krasno Selo” district, Rosina Stanislavova. She was elected to the post in 2019 with the support of “Democratic Bulgaria”, but in early 2021 they withdrew their confidence from her.
We remind you that Stanislavova’s name was first linked to a conflict of interest in 2021. On 9 June, the CCCCIP found that she had identified herself as the head of the project „Patronage care for elderly and disabled people – Component 3“ under the Operational Program „Human Resources Development“ 2014-2020, she had also identified the amount of her remuneration and selected the team to work on the project. For these actions, she was fined BGN 15 000 and forfeited to the state the material benefit received in the amount of BGN 9981,46.
On 23 August of the same year, the Anti-Corruption Commission reported for the second time a conflict of interest against the mayor. The reason – as the head of the above-mentioned project, financed with EU funds, she had concluded an employment contract with her daughter. She was fined BGN 5,000.
The third conflict of interest was established in June 2022. At that time, the Commission for Combating Corruption and Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Assets press centre reported that as mayor she had concluded civil contracts with two lawyers, including for their participation in standing committees in the municipality, for which they were paid remuneration from the municipal budget. At the same time, she engaged them to consult and represent her before administrative bodies and the courts and in a personal capacity.
Today, it became clear that the Supreme Administrative Court confirmed the decision of the Administrative Court in Sofia-City. In addition to the fines imposed so far, Stanislavova will have to pay to the commission a legal fee for the cassation proceedings in the amount of BGN 100. It also gives grounds for her to be dismissed as mayor of „Krasno Selo“, since according to Art. 42, par. 11 of the Law on Local Self-Government and Local Administration:
„The powers of mayors shall be terminated early: upon the entry into force of an act establishing a conflict of interest under the Law on Combating Corruption and Confiscation of Illegally Acquired Property.
Within three days of receipt of the report and the documents certifying the circumstances referred to in par. 1, items 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 13, the municipal election commission shall announce the termination of the mayor’s powers.
Where, after the termination of a mayor’s mandate, less than one year remains in office, a by-election shall not be held. In such cases, the municipal council shall elect a mayor of the municipality, a mayor of the district or a mayor of the town hall, and a deputy mayor or a municipal councilor shall be elected mayor of the municipality.
When the powers of a mayor are terminated early, the municipal council shall elect an acting mayor for the period until the newly elected mayor takes the oath of office. One of the deputy mayors of the municipality or of the district shall be elected as acting mayor. Where no deputy mayor has been appointed, acting mayor of the municipality or district shall be elected on the proposal of a municipal councilor.“
