Bulgarian Court Sets Tough Penalty for Hooliganism during Katunitsa Protests

Bulgarian protesters stand in front of a house set on fire during a protest in the village of Katunitsa, some 160 km from Sofia, Bulgaria 24 September 2011. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The Plovdiv Regional Court handed down Thursday a two-year suspended sentence with five years of probation to a local citizen for his violent behavior during the protests in support of the residents of the southern village of Katunitsa.

The demonstrations were staged in the aftermath of clashes between local ethnic Bulgarians and a powerful Roma clan.

The unrest was triggered by the September 23 murder of 19-year-old Angel Petrov, who got run over by a vehicle driven by a man linked to notorious Roma boss Kiril Rashkov, aka Tsar Kiro.

The rioting quickly spread to other parts of Bulgaria, calling for increased police presence to rein in the social tensions.

Dimitar Dadachev was found guilty of committing "indecent actions grossly violating public order and characterized by excessive impudence" under fast-track proceedings.

He had been part of a group throwing stones at police cars, Interior Ministry officers and passers-by, which had subsequently been dispersed, but Dadachev had nevertheless persisted with his violent activity.

The sentence is not final and can be appealed.

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