Sofia's chief architect Mr Petar Dikov declared that the sale of the bankrupt steel mill Kremikovtzi is good for the state, the Bulgarian capital, and the workers.

Mr Dikov said that the deal would open 1500 jobs and the opportunity to clean the abandoned site.

When asked to comment on the fact the buyer is a 26 year old man, he replied he does not favor such moves, but added that when the buyer was 50 years old we did not achieve any great results.

Mr Dikov said that "I don't believe we must comment on something judging only by its package, I do not know the motives of the people to conduct the deal using such methods, but this is a huge amount of money, so it must be clean money."

Mr Ivan Asparuhov mayor of the Mezdra Municipality and Member of the Managing Board of the National Association of Municipalities, who also took part in the interview, voiced doubt the company Nadin N, which is said to be behind the purchase, could be able to make such investment since it had been hit hard by the crisis.

Mr Lyuben Pavlov from Podkrepa Trade Union asked those who really purchased the mill to come forward. He voiced hope the BGL 316 million, which sealed the deal, will secure payment of delayed salaries to 6000 workers

Bulgaria's privately owned First Investment Bank said that it had provided all the funding for Kremikovtzi steel mill, amounting to nearly BGL 320 million.

It was announced that Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency had launched a thorough probe into the tax papers of the buyer.

(Sourced from www.novinite.com)