The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office is launching, on its own initiative, based on media reports, an investigation into breaches in the construction of the TurkStream gas pipeline. They are connected with the choice of contractor and the accelerated construction of the pipeline across Bulgarian territory, illicit negotiations between subcontractors and the principal, circumvention of the Public Procurement Act and discussion of illegal schemes, such as hiring an applicant for contractor as subcontractor for part of the project.

The Bulgarian section of TurkStream, which bypasses Ukraine, was negotiated and implemented under the GERB government, with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. In April, 2019, the contracting entity Bulgartransgaz ranked the consortium Arkad, which offered the lowest price, first in the tender. Instead of concluding a contract with the consortium, the state-owned company decided to remove it, and chose the second bidder instead – the consortium Gas Development and Extension in Bulgaria.