Sofia Appellate Court Launches Stalled Lawsuit against ex Interior Minister

Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Deputy Chair of center-right party GERB and former Bulgarian Interior Minister, photo by BGNES

The Sofia Appellate Court is launching the lawsuit against Tsvetan Tsvetanov, former Interior Minister and current Deputy Chair of the GERB party, over crimes against the justice system.

The lawsuit had been stopped for over two months due to Tsvetanov’s MP immunity, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio.

At the end of May 2014, the Sofia City Court sentenced Tsvetanov to 4 years of imprisonment for blocking court-approved permits for the use of special surveillance equipment against Orlin Todorov, former head of the anti-mafia unit (GDBOP, the Interior Ministry's Chief Directorate Combating Organized Crime) in Veliko Tarnovo.

Tsvetanov insisted that his 4-year prison term had been ordered by a dependent court.

The lawsuit against Tsvetanov at the court of higher instance

The lawsuit at the court at the next-higher level was stopped due to the newly acquired MP immunity by Tsvetanov.

The acquisition of immunity from prosecution in his capacity of MP caused all three ongoing lawsuits against Tsvetanov to be stopped.

After the establishment of the 43rd National Assembly, Bulgaria’s Chief Prosecutor demanded that his immunity be lifted for the three cases.

Tsvetanov gave up his immunity from prosecution in November 2014, which paved the way for the launch of the lawsuits.

The three lawsuits against Tsvetanov involve embezzlement charges, malfeasance in office, and crimes against the justice system.

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