A notary deed (title deed) has been issued for a lucrative plot of land on the basis of a contract containing the forged signature of mayor Boiko Borissov.

City hall has accused Sida-S EOOD - a company owned by Petar Drashkov, brother of National State Security deputy chairperson Ivan Drashkov - of forging the mayor's signature to secure the deeds to a plot in Strelibishte borough, which has among the highest property values in Sofia.

The contract
According to the forged contract between Borissov and Sida-S, the mayor had sold the plot to Drashkov on January 18 this year. On April 14 the notary Emanouil Karakashev issued the notary deed confirming ownership of 14 063 sq m between the streets Dobri Hristov, Tvurdishki Prohod, Toulcha and Trayanovi Vrata.

According to the city's master plan, the plot was earmarked for the construction of office and residential buildings.

During a media briefing in Sofia municipality on October 7, Borissov said that the market price of this land alone is about 14 million euro, but real estate prices in the area are between 1300 and 1400 euro a square metre it they were sold in individual blocks.

However, Borissov refused to name the sources that had informed him the notary deed had been issued on the basis of the forged contract. He added that the procedure to obtain his signature for contracts like these is lengthy. Seven other officials need to sign the documents before he himself signs.

Similar cases have been exposed in the past. But Borissov said that it is likely that many others have not been, and many of Sofia's buildings have been constructed as a result.

He said: "This is the reason I introduced public hearings on detailed master plans in Sofia neighbourhoods." In cases where a municipality had failed in its duties or made a mistake, the area's residents would tell city hall.

Next step
Borissov gave the fake notary deed, the tax evaluation certificate and the ground plan to Prosecutor General Boris Velchev. He also informed Sofia city Prosecutor Nikolai Kokinov.

According to Borissov, this contract was illegal, and he hoped the prosecutor would press charges. Borissov said that he did not believe Petar Drashkov's brother, Ivan, would interfere in the case in any way.

According to the mayor, a case like this should be easy to prosecute. And although settling it may take some time, Borissov believed the Prosecutor's Office would make the right decision.

Borissov said that he had additional information about the case but that he would not disclose it before the Prosecutor's Office takes a decision. Separately, he plans to bring a suit in relation to the notary deed.

According to Borissov, the real reason cases like these developed was the lack of preventative measures by the state and the criminal jurisdiction.

The accused
Approached for comment by The Sofia Echo on October 6, a day before the news conference in Sofia city hall, former Sida-S manager Petar Drashkov denied knowledge of the case. Refusing further comment, he said, "I don't know what this foolishness is."

After the news conference in the city hall on October 7, Drashkov's mobile was switched off.