The public relations officer of Sevlievo Municipality is also an advisor in the political cabinet of the Minister of Agriculture and Food. The dual appointment became known after “Za Istinata” checked her asset and interest declarations, where the work at the Municipality was omitted – a circumstance that could be considered a potential conflict of interest.
At the end of 2024 and the beginning of this year – the exact dates are not publicly available, Anelia Skrimova works simultaneously at the Municipality in Sevlievo and at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MAF), which is in Sofia.
Kilometers and interests
Between her two workplaces stand 180 kilometers and it’s hard to explain how she manages. Probably the work at the ministry has priority, since she hasn’t been seen in Sevlievo this year, but that’s not all. These are institutions at two different levels of executive power, which by definition have different, and sometimes conflicting interests.
As an advisor in the minister’s political cabinet, Skrimova is politically engaged, which creates a channel for influence in two directions – from the ministry to the municipality and vice versa, thus violating the principle of local self-government autonomy.
Her political engagement may influence public opinion through her publications as PR for Sevlievo Municipality. The issue is principled, and an additional detail is that both the minister and the mayor are currently from GERB.
This appointment seems designed as a secret
Anelia Skrimova’s name appears on the Sevlievo municipal administration website as an employee for “protocol and public relations.” She was appointed at the beginning of 2024, after doing the same job for years but as an external contractor.
Her engagement with the agriculture ministry became known after the inauguration of Rosen Zhelyazkov’s cabinet, when the government press center sent an email to the media with a list of all ministerial press attachés. In this list, Anelia Skrimova was listed as PR for the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
From her asset and interest declarations, however, it can be seen that she is not a PR officer, but an advisor in the political cabinet of Minister Georgi Tahov – a circumstance she personally confirmed to “Za Istinata” in a telephone conversation, insisting on clarifying that she was appointed on a civil contract, in which there was nothing illegal.
Is the contract really civil?
The type of contract under which Sevlievo’s municipal PR works at the agriculture ministry was requested through an application under the Access to Public Information Act.
In the response, signed by Minister Georgi Tahov, it states that since “Za Istinata” did not specify that the requested information aims to establish the presence of abuse of power or corruption, nor was it indicated as having overriding public interest, according to the minister, such interest does not exist and to protect the constitutional rights of his employee, he refuses information about her appointment and remuneration. It’s curious who advised him on this convenient response, which instead of covering up an irregularity, rather sharpened attention to it.
Unreported circumstances in mandatory declarations
According to the Anti-Corruption Act, persons holding senior public positions, such as advisors in ministers’ political cabinets, are required to submit asset and interest declarations that must reflect all circumstances that could give rise to a conflict of interest.
The first declaration submitted by Minister Tahov’s advisor is from December 2, 2024, and concerns incompatibility. In it, Skrimova indicates the position she holds – advisor in MAF’s political cabinet, and declares that she does not hold another position that is incompatible with the Constitution or the law. At the same time, she is also an employee of Sevlievo’s municipal administration, they confirmed from there. This is also evident from the public contact information with the Municipality, where Anelia Skrimova is listed as an employee for “Protocol and public relations.”
Her second declaration is from December 23 and concerns assets and interests. It states that the employee participates in the management of one commercial company and one non-governmental organization, and in the field requiring specification of contracts that would be related to the impartiality of decisions the ministry employee makes, it states “I have nothing to declare.”
Whether the dual appointment of one and the same employee can give rise to suspicion of conflict of interest, we read in the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA).
Conflict of interest and when does it arise?
A conflict of interest arises when a person holding a public position has a private interest that may affect the impartial and objective performance of their official powers or duties (Art. 70 of ACA).
Private is any interest that leads to benefit of material (salary for example, editor’s note) or non-material character for the person in public position, or for persons related to them, including any undertaken obligation (Art. 71 of ACA).
Benefit is any income in money, monetary means or property (Art. 72 of ACA), and related persons are physical or legal persons with whom the person holding a public position is in economic or political dependencies (§ 1, item 9b of the Additional Provisions of ACA).
From all this arises the question whether Skrimova, working at two different levels of executive power, is in conflict of interest. This must be determined by the Commission for Prevention of Corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Assets (CPCFIAA), but it cannot rule when the potential conflict is not reflected in the declarations. However, it can start a check based on a signal or media publication.
And one more detail – it cannot be overlooked that for each of her appointments, Anelia Skrimova received remuneration, and as is known, salaries in both municipalities and ministries are calculated with public funds, i.e., citizens pay them indirectly.
And if you fail to declare?
According to the Anti-Corruption Act, persons holding public positions are required to submit a declaration under Art. 49, para. 1, in which they must specify all additional positions they hold, including positions in connection with official or other types of commitments to institutions.
Upon establishing concealment or incomplete indication of data in the declaration, the person is notified and given a deadline to remedy the omission, but if they do not correct it, there are subsequent sanctions, including for declaring false circumstances.
Regarding the specific case of Anelia Skrimova, no data is found in public registers for submitting false declarations or sanctions. She has submitted a valid declaration in accordance with legal requirements and does not appear among persons with publicly announced violations.
Therefore, the problem with the declaration is that it does not reflect potential incompatibility, while it is stated that there is no incompatibility.
Currently, Anelia Skrimova continues to be PR in Sevlievo but works remotely, Sevlievo mayor Ivan Ivanov told “Za Istinata.” Whether she continues to advise the minister, as became clear, the minister does not think the public should know. “What’s unethical?” Skrimova asks when “Za Istinata” hinted that the dual employment might be legal, but not ethical.
