The Bulgarian Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) has launched a series of unannounced on-site inspections targeting several companies suspected of orchestrating a bid-rigging cartel. This high-stakes investigation focuses on public procurement procedures for the supply, installation, and maintenance of IT equipment, spanning a period from 2024 to early 2026.
The operation was executed with the assistance of the Specialized Police Forces Department of the Ministry of Interior, following a formal court permit issued by the Sofia District Administrative Court. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the origin of the probe: the proceedings were initiated after a signal from the Director of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP), who acted in his capacity as a contracting authority for public procurement.
At the heart of the investigation is a suspected violation of Article 15 of the Competition Protection Act and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. These legal frameworks strictly prohibit agreements aimed at manipulating competition. In this instance, the CPC’s preliminary investigation suggests that the companies involved may have coordinated their actions to predetermine which among them would be selected as the contractor, effectively stripping the public procurement process of its integrity and competitive fairness.
Bid rigging is categorized by the CPC as one of the most damaging forms of cartel behavior, as it leads to the unlawful spending of significant public resources. Because these practices bypass the market’s natural price discovery, taxpayers often foot the bill for inflated contracts. Consequently, the CPC has identified the dismantling of procurement-related cartels as a primary strategic priority.
During the raids, CPC officers exercised their authority to seize a wide array of documents and records. To tackle the complexities of modern business operations, the commission utilized a forensic laboratory—specialized equipment designed for the recovery, authentication, and analysis of digital information. This forensic capability ensures that even deleted or hidden digital trails can be added to the growing body of evidence.
The materials gathered during these inspections will be combined with existing data to build a comprehensive case. Once the procedural actions and evidence analysis are complete, the CPC will issue a final ruling in accordance with its statutory competence. This move signals a robust enforcement stance against anti-competitive practices in Bulgaria’s technology sector.
