Judge in Bulgaria Borilski Case Tangled in Corruption Scandal

Domestic | October 28, 2009, Wednesday // 20:38|  views

Bulgaria's court system is shaken by a corruption scandal involving violations of the ethical code of magistrates. File Photo

The names of the five magistrates appointed to high ranking positions in the Bulgarian justice system, who have been in contact with the so-called “Krasio from Pleven,” were revealed Wednesday.

They are the Deputy Chair of the Appellate Court in Veliko Tarnovo, Milcho Vanev, the Chair of the District Court in the Black Sea town of Nessebar, Plamen Naydenov, the Head of the Appellate Prosecutor's Office in Plovdiv, Andreya Atanasov, the Chair of the Burgas Appellate Court, Dora Chineva and the Administrative Head of the Burgas District Prosecutor's Office, Angel Angelov.

Chineva and Angelov submitted resignations Tuesday, while Naydenov resigned Wednesday.

It is expected that on Thursday, the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) is going to announce the names of another 9 magistrates, who applied for high ranking positions, but were not selected. The information about a total of 14 judges and prosecutors, who had many phone calls with “Krasio” was submitted to the VSS Tuesday by the Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev.

Krasimir Georgiev aka “Krasio from Pleven” is an individual who, allegedly, offered magistrates to secure their appointment to high ranking positions through the vote of the VSS in exchange for EUR 200 000 in cash.

A name that pops up among the five is the one of Milcho Vanev, who is the reporter in the “Borislki” case that has been followed up closely by the European Institutions. In the summer of 2000, French firefighters discovered the brutally murdered Bulgarian Sorbonne student, Borilski, in his apartment in Paris. His body was tied down with a sweater, and his skull was broken with a dumbbell. There were 93 stab wounds on his corpse. The two alleged killers, Georgi Zheliazkov and Stoyan Stoichkov aka Barona (the Baron) were acquitted by the first two trials, in the Shumen District Court and the Veliko Tarnovo Appellate Court. The Veliko Tarnovo Appellate Court previously threw out the case, suggesting that the two defendants did not have a motive for the murder of a student at such prestigious school.

Vanev was appointed to his post on June 24 by the vote of 19 VSS members. He admits he knew Georgiev and was introduced to him by the President of the Business University in the Danube town of Svishtov, Velichko Adamov. Adamov told him Krasimir Georgiev was a person who could offer help in Vanev's attempts to transfer his cancer-suffering father to a better hospital in Sofia. Vanev says he never used Krasio's services because his father died in the meantime.

“I have not done anything illegal. My resignation is on my desk, but I am still thinking because I do not believe a have hurt with anything the prestige of the judicial power,” Vanev is quoted as saying.

Prosecutor, Andreya Atanasov, who was appointed at his post at the proposal of Chief Prosecutor Velchev, also admits knowing Krasio. He tells how Georgiev called him days before his appointment with offers to secure his post, something Atanasov rejected, he says, knowing he already had Velchev support. Krasio called him again later and they met “over a cup of coffee” because Georgiev told him he had insider information about illegal loan-shark activities in the area, but it turned out he had no substantial information to offer. Atanasov said he informed his bosses about the contacts immediately after the scandal became known to the public, but failed to explain why he never revealed them at the time he received the first phone call.

The other resignations submitted in connection with the scandalous case are those of the members of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS), Stoyko Stoev and Ivan Dimov.

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Tags: Boris Velchev, Nikolay Kokinov, Ivan Kolev, Krasio, vote buying, Supreme Judicial Council, Milen Velchev

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