Bulgaria's Interior Minister: 'Sheiks' Undoubtedly Guilty

Bulgaria's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has expressed hid certainty that the evidence against the "Sheikhs" undoubtedly proves their guilt. File photo

The Bulgarian interior minister has stated that the evidence against the arrested men during the special police operation codenamed “the Sheikhs” undoubtedly proves their guilt.

“The evidence on the case will be specified, in order to be submitted in the court,” the Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said Monday after the District Court in Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Burgas released three people from the eleven arrested last Friday.

The three – Valentin Atanasov, a police officer from the Burgas Traffic Police, his brother Zhivko Atanasov and Yanko Penev walked out of jail on their own recognizance. The court ruled that there was not enough evidence they took part in the criminal activities.

The other alleged criminals remain behind bars.

Out of the 11 people apprehended by the police 4 are fellow police officers.

The Burgas Prosecutor's Office requested earlier permanent detention for nine of the 11 detainees, charged with organized crime involving illegal trade and theft of fuel.

Tsvetanov has explained that the special intelligence devices have not been ready by the time of the trial.

“It takes technical time for their preparation if the application of special intelligence devices undoubtedly prove their connection and cooperation in the organized crime group,” he said.

The minister said that he has talked to the chief prosecutor and to magistrates from the appellate court and he expressed his hope to correct the mistakes from the first trial and present all the evidence.

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