Technical University replaces its convicted Conflict of Interest Rector on March 27
Prof. Krallov was convicted of conflict of interest because he had written a cash prize on his own. His removal from public office was not sure at the end of last week, although it was required by the Corruption Act in the case of a decision to establish a conflict of interest. It has been available since February 19th.
Prof. Kralov's violation found the Commission to counter corruption and to seize the illegally acquired property (CPCONPI) in 2022 and requested the return of nearly BGN 30,000. It was referred by former Minister of Education Acad. Nikolay Denkov on the basis of findings in his university audit. The inspection found that Prof. Krallov not only rewarded himself, but also that the university had been distributed nearly BGN 3.5 million bonuses immediately before his election as rector in 2023. The professor managed the university since 2019, but the court overturned his first election due to an unlawful general meeting. The re -election was held in the fall of 2023. The appeal to the court that led to the annulment of the election was filed by Prof. Vesko Panov – one of the candidates for the rector of TU then. He also appealed to the MES for the millions given as additional remuneration, after which the audit was carried out.
Vesko Panov: From the judgment of the court, Ivan Kralov is not a rector and if he does not release him, the minister is subject to sanction
In an interview with Dnevnik, Prof. Panov – Engineer and Lawyer – he stated categorically that not another but education minister Krasimir Valchev should eliminate the Rector that he should have complied with the judgment the day after his issuance. The legal team of the Ministry of Education has challenged the claim that the removal is in the hands of the General Assembly, although the Minister concludes management contracts with all rectors of public higher education institutions.
New referral
The refusal of the Ministry of Education and Science provoked a new seizure, this time of the successor of the CCPCI – the Commission for Combating Corruption. The signal was submitted by the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Education and Science in the 43rd National Assembly Assoc. Prof. Milen Mihov in his role as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association « Academic Ethics and Reforms in Education » on February 25. Dnevnik has a copy of it.
Kiril Domuschiev and Vasil Velev defend the convicted of conflict of interest Rector of the Technical University
In the letter on behalf of the teachers in the Association – addressed to the register BULSTAT of the Registry Agency of the Ministry of Justice – Assoc. Prof. Mihov urged the Commission to take action for Deletion of Rector from Bulstat Registerwhere it is entered as a rector of the Technical University, and to give instructions to the Minister of Education to fulfill his obligation to appoint an official rector for up to six months with early termination of the term. His argument is that he is the state body for the implementation of national policy in higher education.
Motives
Assoc. Prof. Mihov cites Art. 98 of the Corruption Act, according to which « the establishment of a conflict of interest with an act that has entered into force is a ground for dismissing office, except when the Constitution of the European System of Central Banks and the European Central Bank or in a special law provides for another. »
Special in terms of the case is the Law on Higher Education, and he does not provide for otherwise, the historian points out and notes that there is no special order for the dismissal of the rector from office, ie. The release is by virtue of the judgment itself.
« In order not to doubt how the actual will of the legislator should be interpreted, » Assoc. Prof. Mihov also quoted Art. 85 of the same law that provides: « A person holding a public office (such as the Rector – Aut.
« This means that from the day following the decision of the court decision – February 20, 2025 – Prof. DN Eng. Ivan Mladenov Kralov is no longer a rector of the Technical University and his term of office is terminated since he holds an election position, » writes Assoc. Prof. Mihov. He adds that all this requires urgent measures and indicates what – the deletion of the register and the appointment of an official rector.
