Bulgaria Judiciary Fires 2nd Magistrate over Corruption Scandal

For months now, Bulgaria's court system is shaken by the "Krasio from Pleven" corruption scandal involving violations of the ethical code of magistrates. File Photo

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) has fired a second magistrate over contacts with the infamous Krasimir Georgiev aka “Krasio from Pleven.”

Ivan Petrov, former Supreme Appellate Prosecutor and now Prosecutor with the same institution, was dismissed Thursday, following the discharge of the former Chair of the Veliko Tarnovo District Court, Daniel Minov, on February 25.

Ivan Petrov had 23 conversations with Georgiev on the day before VSS had to vote for the election of Deputy Chief Prosecutor, a post for which Petrov had applied. He later had another 53 phone calls with Krasio before stopping them abruptly when the scandal emerged.

VSS had examined Petrov’s overall performance and behavior before deciding to fire him. On the positive, the Council noted Petrov had been one of the founders of the Association of Bulgarian Prosecutors, a lector, and a participant in the preparation of the Magistrates’ Ethical Code. On the negative, he had been exposed in the past to have been in contact with notorious and now deceased crime boss, Konstantin Dimitrov aka Samokovetsa.

In addition to firing Petrvo and Minov, VSS demoted recently a number of magistrates over the “Krasio” scandal.

Krasio became known after his name was tangled in a corruption scheme where Georgiev, 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.