Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Faces Fine over Lost Classified Documents

Former Prime Minister and socialist leader Sergey Stanishev faces a fine of up to BGN 5000 for losing 7 clasiffied documents during his tenure. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia City Court has opened an administrative case against socialist leader and former Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev on charges of losing classified documents while in office.

Stanishev was charged with losing 7 documents containing information constituting a state secret.

The indictment was submitted to the court more than a year after Stanishev was officially charged amid lots of media fuss.

The papers had been handed to him in person and against his signature in the period November 04, 2005 - September 10, 2009, when he was Prime Minister of Bulgaria heading the three-way coalition government of his Socialist Party, the ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), and the National Movement for Stability and Prosperity (NSMP) of former Tsar and PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg.

Three of the secret files had been prepared by the State Agency for National Security (DANS), two by the Interior Ministry, one by the Defense Minister and one by NATO.

After an investigation of 20-plus months, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office issued a ruling with a proposal for imposing a fine as an administrative
penalty, reminding that Stanishev had a clear criminal record and that his actions had not caused any material damages.

Under Bulgarian legislation, Stanishev can be fined with up to BGN 5000.

Asked to comment on the case, the leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) insisted that no classified documents had gone missing and that the witness testimony provided explanations about the papers' whereabouts.

Stanishev claimed he had returned the report to DANS, as required by law.

He also relinquished his immunity as a MP, in order to facilitate the proceedings.

The prosecutors also argued that the former Prime Minister had not lost the files on purpose.

The case against Sergey Stanishev was opened on November 15 and was assigned to court panel #13 of the Penal Division of the Sofia City Court chaired by judge Alexandra Yordanova.

The magistrates are yet to come up with a pronouncement.

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