Bulgaria to Recover Smuggled Archaeology Finds from Canada Shortly

Prosecutor Mihov expects speedy recovery of smuggled Bulgarian antiques captured in Canada. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian antiques and archaeology items captured by the Canadian authorities on Thursday must be returned with 2-3 months, according to Bulgarian prosecutors.

“The approximate value of the antiques is over EUR 100 000,” announced Friday Kamen Mihov, head of the International Department for Legal Aid of the Bulgarian Supreme Prosecutor’s Office of Cassation.

The smuggled shipment of antiques consists primarily of coins from various historical periods and states – Antiquity, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire.

Prosecutor Mihov has explained he expects no problems in the recovery of the archaeological items back to Bulgaria as this is not the first such case. The Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office has already filed a suit over the contraband case.

On Thursday, Bulgaria’s Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov sent a letter to Canada’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage requesting the confiscation and the return of the antiques to Bulgaria. The countries have already a procedure under the 1970 Paris Convention of world heritage.

Mihov has disproved allegations that the Prosecutor’s Office has started to investigate Angel Borisov, brother of former Chief Prosecutor Nikola Filchev, for organizing the channel for the smuggling of the captured antiques. A trial for antiques contraband against Borisov, which started in 1995, has not been completed yet.

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