2 More Bulgarian Magistrates Punished over Murky Connections

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

The Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) has confirmed the punishment of two more magistrates over proven contacts with Krasimir Georgiev, aka Krasio the Black.

VAS has declined the appeal of Andreya Atanasov against the ruling of the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) to disciplinary dismiss him from his position as an administrative prosecutor from the Prosecution's Office in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.

According to VSS, Atanasov has violated the Code of ethics for Bulgarian magistrates and has damaged the prestige of the judiciary with his behavior.

Atanasov was appointed on his position in April 2009. It was proven that in the following two months, he had two personal meetings and seven phone calls with Krasio the Black.

“The communication between the appealing and Krasimir Georgiev during the sensitive period of active appointments is considered by the society as a corruption scheme for trading with votes, it forms a conviction of using lobbyism and abuse of power, and it is a problem with the morality and transparency in the judicial system,” the statement by the court said.

The Supreme Administrative Court has also declined the appeal of Dimitar Kirilov, judge from the district court in the Bulgarian city of Pleven.

Kirilov has been sentenced by the Supreme Judicial Council to demotion in rank for two years,due to his 17 phone calls with Krasio the Black in a period of five months.

“There is a lack of reasonable and plausible explanation for the presence of contacts between magistrates and Krasimir Georgiev,” the court statement said.

The decisions of the court can be appealed within a period of 7 days.

Krasimir Georgiev, from northern city of Pleven, allegedly offered magistrates to secure their high-ranking positions in exchange for cash. Several judges and magistrates, including Supreme ones, have been dismissed or resigned in the aftermath of the scandal over proven contacts with Georgiev.

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