Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev had ordered the State Agency for National Security (SANS) to investigate rumours that First Investment Bank (FIBank) faced financial problems, Reuters reported on May 17.

In a government statement quoted by Reuters, Stanishev repeated that all banks in the country were financially stable and he wanted SANS to check whether the rumours were spread as a "scenario" plotted by competitors or with a political aim, Reuters said.

"The state agency will investigate the case which has caused panic among Bulgarian citizens," Stanishev said in a statement.

Bulgarian weekly Capital reported on the same day that rumours had originated in comments on a Bulgarian portal for mothers, bg-mama.

Bulgarian National Bank said on May 17 that FIBank was in "excellent condition" and dismissed the rumours. BNB governor Ivan Iskrov said that the rumours were spread as a scenario to damage FIBank's credibility, Reuters said.

FIBank has assets worth 4 billion leva at end-March and year-on-year net profits of 15 million leva.