Court Docs Show Bulgarian Roma 'Tsar' Is No 'Royalty'

Kiril Rashkov, who has got a major tab running with the Bulgarian Revenue Service to the tune of BGN 6 M in unpaid taxes, is pictured here being led out of the courtroom. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's notorious Roma leader, Kiril Rashkov AKA Tsar Kiro is actually Macedonian, according to a document check.

The information was announced Friday, during his trial at the Regional Court in the town of Asenovgrad.

The news that Rashkov had been born in the Macedonian village of Miravtsi deals the last blow to the myth that there were family relations between Tsar Kiro and the legendary Roma Tsar Gogo, who was born in the Stolipinovo Roma district in the second largest city of Plovdiv, the Bulgarian 24 Chassa (24 Hours) daily writes Saturday.

When asked for a comment on the revelations, Rashkov declined with: "Silence is golden."

The results from the tax probe of the Roma leader are to be announced Monday – at that time, the Plovdiv Office of the National Revenue Agency, NRA, is going to report exactly how much Tsar Kiro owes in taxes, which he had not been paying at least since 2004.

Rashkov came into the spotlight after the September 23 murder of Bulgarian youngster, Angel Petrov, 19, who was deliberately run over by a minivan, which, according to witnesses, was driven by one of the associates of the Roma boss. The murder led to massive protests of the ethnic Bulgarians in the village of Katunitsa, where Rashkov's mansions are located. They culminated Saturday night into the burning of Rashkov's properties by football club fans from Plovdiv, which is near to Katunitsa, and by football club fans from the capital Sofia and the southern city of Stara Zagora.

From Monday until Thursday night, protests followed in many major Bulgarian cities, including the capital Sofia. Nearly 350 people in total have been arrested by the police after the three nights of rallies that unfortunately involved what has been perceived as ethnic hatred.

Bulgarian authorities have frozen Rashkov's assets and property while he is investigated on tax evasion charges, the revenue agency has confirmed. Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Kalin Georgiev told the morning broadcast of Nova TV channel Wednesday that Rashkov, AKA Tsar Kiro, has been arrested.

On Friday, the Asenovgrad Regional Court left Tsar Kiro, under arrest, disregarding his pleas that he was "on the brink of survival".

Rashkov has been charged with making two death threats to Veselin Hristov, maternal uncle of the murdered Angel Petrov, and to his girlfriend.

The threats, issued hours before Angel Petrov was killed, were confirmed by security camera footage and by witnesses' testimony.

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