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Prosecutors launch inquest into Government deal with Microsoft

Tue, Jul 01 2008 21:00 CET byAlex Bivol 127 Views
Prosecutors launch inquest into Government deal with Microsoft

Bulgarian prosecutors have launched a probe into the contract Bulgaria has signed with US software giant Microsoft for the acquisition of software for the needs of the state administration, Dnevnik daily reported on July 1.

The investigation will seek to determine whether any state administration employee has committed any malfeasance, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, Sofia city prosecution spokesperson Steliana Kozhouharova told the daily. The investigation does not target any specific civil servants and is now focused on "unknown public officials", the daily said.

Bulgaria's State Administration Minister Nikolai Vassilev signed the deal with Microsoft in December 2007 and it went into force on June 1 2008. Under the terms of the contract, Bulgaria will receive licences for Microsoft Windows and Office software for 60 000 PCs and 2000 servers for a total of 71.4 million leva, value-added tax excluded.

At this price, Bulgaria will pay 1145 leva for licences for each PC fitted with Microsoft software, VAT excluded.

Vassilev, who has come under strong public criticism for signing the deal, refused to comment on the prosecution inquiry, telling Dnevnik he had not heard of any probe.

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