Sergei Ignatov, Minister of Education, Youth and Science, handed in his resignation, which was duly accepted by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the Cabinet's Press Office announced on Monday. Borissov will now put to Parliamentary vote Ignatov's ousting and the ensuing personnel change in the Government.

Borissov demanded that Ignatov stepped down because of roughly 60 violations established in the Reasearch Fund.

The head of the fund, Hristo Petrov, also stepped down after the Government inspector's probe revealed numerous violations of public procurement procedures carried out by the fund. The news came within minutes of the meeting between Borissov, the Finance Minister Djankov and scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). Ignatov was not present at Borissov's explicit request, Djankov said.

Experts at BAS told Borissov that they have lost any confidence in the Minister of Education, Youth and Science because of misuses in the fund that have been covered-up for a long time.