Bulgaria Ex-Minister Calls Desperately for Release on Bail

Crime | May 21, 2010, Friday // 16:17|  views

Tsonev was detained at the beginning of April together with a judge and a former senior finance ministry official after he was caught paying EUR 20,000 to try to block an investigation against him for alleged abuse of power. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's former defense minister Nikolay Tsonev, who was arrested on suspicion of bribery, have demanded that he is released on bail.

Tsonev was detained at the beginning of April together with a judge and a former senior finance ministry official after he was caught paying EUR 20,000 to try to block an investigation against him for alleged abuse of power.

The three defendants have appealed several times their detention, but it was only financial consultant Tencho Popov, who was released on BGN 10 000 bail.

Bulgaria's previous Socialist-led government has been lately hit by a series of corruption scandals.

Former prime minister Sergey Stanishev has been accused of losing classified reports on crime, while ex-farm Minister Valeri Tsvetanov have been charged with abuse of power.

Former Labor Minister Emilia Maslarova gave up her immunity from prosecution so that she can be investigated her for large-scale embezzlement.

Bulgaria's new center-right government, which swept the elections in July, is trying to shake off the country's reputation for rampant corruption and crime, and has pledged to step up the fight against graft.

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Tags: Roman Vasilev, Prosecutor, Nikolay Tsonev, Defense Minister, arrest, Tencho Popov, Petyo Petrov, investigator, Petar Santirov, Sofia City Court, Nikolay Mladenov

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