Whistleblower reveals organized crime’s grip on Bulgaria’s key border, exposing a decade-long corruption scandal.

A whistleblower has unveiled a shocking corruption scheme at Bulgaria’s Kapitan Andreewo border crossing with Turkey, where organized crime allegedly controls food inspections. Angel Mawrowski, a 39-year-old veterinarian and former director of Bulgaria’s Food Safety Agency, has accused private firms and criminal networks of profiting from falsified inspections and bribes, allowing unchecked food shipments into the European Union.

The controversy dates back to 2011, when the GERB party under Boyko Borissov privatized border control operations, granting a ten-year contract to a private company for a nominal fee. Mawrowski claims the deal was extended until 2031 under opaque circumstances. He alleges that Razmig Chakaryan, a figure linked to organized crime, played a key role in the agreement. Since then, the border has reportedly operated under a ‘pay-to-pass’ system, with minimal inspections and substantial bribes.

Bulgarian paprika trader Georgi Wassilew corroborates Mawrowski’s claims, stating that importers from across the EU have reported trucks arriving with sealed cargo from Turkey and Syria, bypassing proper inspections. Wassilew revealed he pays between €350 and €700 per truck for falsified documents claiming his goods were tested for bacteria, heavy metals, and pesticides. ‘Nothing is actually checked,’ he said, describing the system as ‘money, stamp, money, stamp.’

Approximately 2,000 trucks cross the Kapitan Andreewo border daily, generating an estimated €1 million in bribes every day. Efforts to reform the system were briefly initiated in late 2021 when anti-corruption Prime Minister Kiril Petkov took office. Mawrowski was appointed deputy director of the Food Safety Agency and tasked with cleaning up the border operations. However, his attempts were met with threats, including being forced off the road and receiving menacing notes.

Petkov’s government was ousted after less than eight months, and Mawrowski lost his position, allowing the criminal networks to regain control. In December 2025, following mass protests against corruption, an interim government led by Andrej Gjurow reinstated Mawrowski as director of the Food Safety Agency. Mawrowski has since conducted thorough inspections at the border, aiming to restore integrity to Bulgaria’s food safety system. However, the battle against entrenched corruption remains ongoing.