The Ministry of Sports has dismissed several BST leadership figures, stating it cannot work with a team that supported policies aimed at transferring BST into private ownership.
 

Key Points

The Bulgarian Sports Totalizator (BST) rejects allegations from the interim Minister of Sports and denies any involvement in privatisation plans

The Ministry of Sports has dismissed parts of the leadership over policy disagreements, while BST argues the move lacks a clear legal basis and proper justification

BST says its management was selected through a competitive process and questions the qualifications and criteria used for appointing its replacements
 

The Bulgarian Sports Totalizator (BST) described the allegations made by the interim Minister of Sports, Dimitar Iliev, as insinuations and false information. The operator’s position was published on its website, accompanied by an image stating that a strike is being held in support of its leadership.

The Ministry of Sports has dismissed several BST's leadership figures, stating that it cannot work with a management team that supported policies aimed at transferring BST into private ownership. It added that it does not support such policies and maintains that the organisation should continue to operate as a state-owned entity with an important public role.

The operator’s position states: “The current management categorically rejects all claims that it has worked or is working in favour of private interests or towards the transfer of BST into private hands.

“Such statements are particularly serious when made without presenting concrete facts, documents, decisions, actions or a competent act indicating when, how and by whom such a process was initiated.”

It is also emphasised that such decisions are not within the powers of the enterprise’s governing bodies and can only be considered through the proper legal procedures by the competent institutions and by decision of the National Assembly.

According to the management of the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator, in the absence of evidence, such claims constitute unacceptable public insinuations that damage the reputation of both the enterprise and its officials.

The position also emphasises that the current leadership was selected through a competitive process conducted by the Public Enterprises Agency, indicating the management team was not arbitrarily appointed.

The BST raises several questions. These include who the individuals proposed for appointment to the new governing bodies are. It also asks about their professional qualifications and their concept for developing BST. In addition, it questions on what criteria are they considered more suitable than a dismissed management team.

The position also states that the order for the dismissal of the management lacks a legal basis under Article 24 of the Public Enterprises Act and that it is unacceptable for a dismissal order to be issued solely on the basis of notice, without legal justification or public disclosure of accurate information.

The BST has recently received a European certification for responsible gaming following a successful audit by the European Lotteries.

The certification and leadership change come at a time of continued financial growth for the operator. In 2025, BST reported a 10.6% year-on-year increase in total revenue to BGN 472m ($278.8m), while revenue generated for the state rose by 10.2% to BGN 104m.

 

 

Source

 

 

#Bulgaria #GamingRegulation #StateOwnership #GamblingIndustry #Compliance #Lottery #PublicPolicy #Governance #Europe