Testimony Stirs Trouble for Bulgarian Lobbyist 'Krasio the Black'

The Bulgarian court held another session in the perjury trial against the court lobbyist Krasimir Georgiev, aka "Krasio the Black". Photo by BGNES

The Sofia Regional Court held Tuesday a session in the perjury trial of the shady businessman from the northern city of Pleven, Krasimir Georgiev AKA "Krasio the Black."

Three witnesses, all from the judiciary, came forward to testify they knew Georgiev.

His indictment states that on June 24, 2009, Georgiev told the interrogating prosecutor he did not know any magistrates while later evidence showed he had many phone calls and meetings with judges and magistrates.

On Tuesday, the magistrate from the Sofia City Court, Rumiyana Chenalova, testified she approached Georgiev several years ago, hoping he can find work for her son. The two met at the time Chenalova had still been a lawyer and were introduced by a common acquittance – one of her clients. She learned later Krasio has been informed that she had become a judge.

Another former lawyer further confirmed that during an interrogation at the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, Georgiev admitted knowing the former member of the Supreme Judicial Council, Stoyko Stoev.

The Plovdiv Appellate Prospector, Andrey Atanasov, told the magistrates he met Krasio in 2009, in a coffee shop in Sofia. After the meeting Georgiev had kept calling him with questions about the probe of the Plovdiv Prosecutor's Office and the State Agency for National Security (DANS) of alleged vote buying during the 2009 general elections while being fully aware he was talking to someone from the judiciary.

Krasimir Georgiev is further investigated on tax evasion and trading influence charges.

The trial will continue on April 11, 2011.

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