Lyubomir Lilov, Director of the EU Funds Absorption Directorate of the National Road Infrastructure Fund, and Ivan Vladimirov, Chief of the Preparation, Tenders and Contracting Sector of the said Directorate, were apprehended on Thursday with a bribe of 25,000 leva, the prosecuting magistracy said.

On January 15, an individual complained to police in Sofia that he had been asked for 50,000 leva in connection with a change in category of agricultural land near the Hemus Motorway for the purpose of construction. The first half of the amount was delivered in marked money at Lilov's office on Thursday, and the two officials were arrested, BTA is reporting.

Vladimirov will most probably be charged with mediating for the bribe, and Lilov will be charged with gross bribery, said Sofia Deputy City Prosecutor Roman Vassilev.

Interior Minister Roumen Petkov said that, judging from Lilov's statements, this is not the only such case. "This is obviously a scheme involving senior public officials," Petkov commented.