Sofia Remains without Appellate Prosecutor after Vote Misfire

Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev, labeled the failed vote to elect a Sofia Appellate Prosecutor a disgrace. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council, VSS, failed once again Thursday to elect a Sofia Appellate Prosecutor.

None of the three main candidates – the current Deputy City Prosecutor, Bozhidar Dzambazov, and the two Deputy Appellate Prosecutors of Sofia, Galina Stoyanova, and Yordan Stoev, was able to collect the required 13 ballots.

The selection had already been postponed once for the same reason.

Dzambazov collected 6 votes, Stoyanova – 4, and Stoev – 10. At runoff, Dzambazov and Stoev had 10 votes each.

The Deputy City Prosecutor received the endorsement of Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev, who said he was one of the most experienced and knowledgeable Prosecutors.

Dzambazov's strongest opponent ended up being VSS member Nestor Nestorov, who reminded of a 2006 scandal when the name of the candidate was connected with a defendant charged with the distribution of child pornography. Nestorov, whose name had also been tangled in several scandals, failed to address Dzambazov on the issue during the hearing, and raised it during the vote. Velchev demanded to call the candidate back to answer questions, but it did not happen.

In 2006, Dzambazov's name and phone number were discovered in the phone book of the said child pornography distributor. He admitted knowing the man through some common friends, but denied ever been close to him.

After the vote, Velchev told the media that he had no worries over the pornography scandal because the probe had fully cleared his favorite. Dzambazov announced he will run again.

Velchev stormed out of the VSS meeting immediately after the results became known, saying it had been a disgrace and "a tasteless, cowardly behavior of people who think something, but don't dare to say it out laud."

Dzambazov had prosecuted some of the most high-profile cases in the last years such as those against the former Director of the Sofia Heating Utility, Valentin Dimitrov, the former Defense Minister, Nikolay Tsonev, and notorious organized crime smuggler, Petar Petrov AKA Amigosa.

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