sofia bulgaria freeze assets property bank account belong businessman media owner ivo prokopiev say state try silence country independent media commission illegal assets forfeiture prepare file claim prokopiev businesses seize assets property worth 199 million levs 119 million believe derive rogue privatization plant 17 years ago say commission chairman plamen georgiev bulgaria one european union poor accord transparency international corrupt country set commission 2000s confiscate illegally obtain assets corrupt businessmen officials organize crime boss prokopiev 46 deny wrongdoing say commission use intimidate journalists influential financial newspaper capital news website dnevnik majority owner also say bulgarian court rule 2004 nothing wrong privatization mineral maker kaolin basis accusations witness state institution wide power use bat instrument repression prokopiev tell news conference doubt ultimate goal .... subdue editorial position two independent media bulgaria georgiev tell news conference regional court bulgaria freeze share stake prokopiev 40 company commission request say action would impede work news organizations five right-wing political party represent parliament protest commission move political analysts also saw attempt silence independent newspapers country act really seem direct people representatives free media bulgaria say daniel smilov analyst sofia-based center liberal strategies bulgaria rank 109th 180 countries low eu member 2017 world press freedom index compile paris-based organization reporters without border bulgaria rank 51st 2007 join eu bulgaria freeze assets independent media publisher