Bulgarian Court Punishes 5 Magistrates over Murky Connections

The Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court has dismissed the appeals of five magistrates, punished for their connections with the court lobbyist Krasio the Black. File photo

The Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) has dismissed the appeals of five magistrates, punished by the court over proven contacts with the court lobbyist Krasimir Georgiev, aka Krasio the Black.

On Monday VAS announced the dismissal of the appeal by Angel Pankov, deputy district attorney in the Bulgarian city of Pazardzhik. Pankov has been dismissed because of his unregulated contacts in a period of assigning magistrates at managing positions.

The court has decided that the acquaintance of Pankov and Georgiev has led to a negative public assessment for the professional moral of the magistrate, which has compromised his good name in the society.

The second magistrate who has his appeal dismissed by VAS is Milcho Vanev, a judge from the Appellate Court in the Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo. He has been punished with demotion in rank for two years.

Vanev has been detected in 66 phone calls and 3 text messages with Krasio the Black.

“The facts show an active bilateral communication with Georgiev in the period of election of a new Chair of the Appellate Court in Veliko Tarnovo,” the VAS ruling said.

Plamen Naydenov, judge from the Bulgarian town of Nessebar, has also been punished with demotion in rank for three years. According to the court, with his 21 calls and 9 text messages with Georgiev, the magistrate has damaged the prestige of the judicial power.

The appeal of the Military Judge from Sofia, Genko Dragiev, has also been dismissed. He has been punished with demotion in rank for two years due to his two meetings and 9 phone calls with Georgiev.

“As an object of a constant public control, the magistrate should impose personal restrictions on himself and act in a way that is corresponding to the dignity of his position,” the court ruling said.

Daniel Minov from the district court in Veliko Tarnovo has also been dismissed form his position by the Supreme Administrative Court due to his one meeting and 14 phone calls with the court lobbyist.

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