13 Bulgaria Magistrates Officially Exposed in Corruption Scandal

Bulgaria's Justice Minister, Margarita Popova, ordered VSS to halt all appointments of magistrates until the end of the probe in the alleged corruption scandal in the justice system. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The Bulgarian Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) announced Thursday the names of the 13 magistrates who are tangled in the brewing scandal with the so-called Krasio from Pleven.

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.

Five of them applied to high-ranking positions and were selected while the others were not appointed to their desired posts.

The five 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. VSS accepted their resignations Thursday. Angelov and Naydenov will continue working for the justice suytem while Chineva applied to take her retirement, which was also approved.

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.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria's Justice Minister, Margarita Popova, ordered VSS to halt all appointments of magistrates until the end of the probe.

The eight who have not been hired also hold high ranking positions as judges and prosecutors in Bulgaria's judicial system and were either aiming for a new, more powerful job, or for a second term.

Popova further stated that the Bulgarian Constituion would not be an obstacle to begin legal proceedings against those involved in the scandal.