Antoaneta Vasileva, Secretary of the Bulgarian National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, has been charged with corruption, according to the press office of the prosecuting authority.

The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office pressed charges against Vasileva in connection with two cases of offence concerning her professional conduct.

Vasileva is accused of exceeding her powers of Secretary of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the period January 2012 – December 2013, thereby triggering substantial harmful effects.

Despite lacking authorization and without a public procurement procedure, Vasileva concluded contracts with Burgas-based “Equilibrium” Association, an NGO specialized in the field of education, social work, civil and human rights, and the Varna-vased “SOS-Families at Risk” Foundation, an NGO specialized in providing women’s shelters.

The contracts involved services provided at temporary shelters for accommodating victims of human trafficking based in Burgas and in Varna.

The offence was carried out to secure benefits amounting to BGN 200 940.56 for the Equilibrium Association and the “SOS-Families at Risk” Foundation.

Vasileva is also charged with exceeding her powers of Secretary of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the period January 2012 – December 2013 to conclude two annexed agreements to a Framework Agreement, thereby securing personal gain of BGN 3607.60.

She has been released from custody on a promise to appear.