Businessman Tzolo Voutov, Managing Director and holder of a 50 per cent stake in mining and construction congolmerate GEOTECHMIN OOD, owns assets worth 438.2 million leva, which ranks him as the wealthiest Bulgarian, the "Pari" daily reports in its Tuesday edition.

Next in the 100 Wealthiest Bulgarians ranking come Petrol Holding Board of Directors Chairman Mitko Sabev (414.7 million leva), Chimimport Supervisory Board members Ivo Kamenov and Marin Mitev (296 million leva), and Agrohold owner Vassil Zlatev (286.7 million leva).

The wealthiest lady is EIBank principal shareholder and Supervisory Board Chair Tsvetelina Borislavova. She ranks 13th with assets worth 219.8 million leva. At the bottom of the table is Tatyana Sotirova, partner in telecom company Bulsatcom, with assets valued at 36.9 million leva.

"Pari's" survey is intended to identify the companies and the individuals who contribue most to the generation of Bulgaria's gross domestic product. These are key people for the Bulgarian economy who, regardless of their motivation, amass both personal and public wealth and create hundreds of jobs in this country.

The ranking is based on the official financial statements and ownership data published in the Commercial Register and information from the Bulgarian Stock Exchange-Sofia, the National Statistical Institute, the "Official Gazette" and media reports about corporate transactions.

Where possible and relevant, the companies' market capitalization has been taken into consideration as well. The wholly state-owned and foreign-owned companies are excluded. Estimates of personal wealth ignore yachts, houses, cars and other personal belongings. The ranking omits doctors, athletes, managers and other people who have earned their riches by remunerative work. Wealth on which reliable public data are not available is not included, either.

Source: BTA