Busted Bulgarian Topshot Stays Behind Bars

Crime | April 13, 2010, Tuesday // 13:58|  views

Around 200 people, supporters of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and employees in the companies of detainee Daniel Slavov, rallied in front of the court building in Varna in a protest against what they have slammed as “political arrests”. Photo by BGNES

Borislav Gutsanov, chair of Varna municipal council and member of the Executive Board of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, will remain behind bars, an appellate court decided on Tuesday.

The news comes days after Gutsanov was listed in the city's “St. Anna” hospital with what is said to be a serious case of pneumonia. According to Gutsanov's attorney his client's health declined in the last few days and has requested a medical exam.

According to the ruling of Varna Appellate Court the evidence provided by prosecutors, who accuse Gutsanov of leading a criminal group in the period 2003-2007, is solid enough and he should remain in detention.

“The trial against me is political,” Gutsanov told reporters after the court hearing.

He denied to have had business operations with Daniel Slavov aka Dido Dunkata, who is suspected of organizing contraband cigarette channels in the Varna area and was arrested during the same police operation codenamed “Jellyfish”. Slavov will also remain behind bars, the court decided.

The detainees have allegedly abused taxpayers’ money, namely for deals to purchase second-hand buses which were later sold to Varna's public transportation at much higher prices.

Borislav Gutsanov was arrested alongside the Director of the Varna municipality ‘autotransport’ department, Pencho Penchev and Yana Krusteva, the department’s Chief Accountant, on May 31.

Businessman Daniel Slavov aka Dido Dunkata was also taken into custody after being arrested in his own Hotel 'Capitol'.

The arrests came on allegations of a number of crimes, including the masterminding of a crime gang, including high-ranking officials, embezzlement and malfeasance in office, forging of documents.

Borislav Gutsanov has been a member of the Executive Board of the National Council of the BSP since November 2009, on which he is responsible for local government and regional policy. He was top of the BSP list during the municipal council elections in 2007 and was soon elected as Chair of the Varna municipality council. During the 2009 general elections Gutsanov was second on the BSP list for the Varna region behind party leader and ex PM Sergey Stanishev.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!


Tags: Varna, Jellyfish operation, Borislav Gutsanov, Dunkata

Back  

» Related Articles:

Search

Search