Court Postpones Trial Against Wounded Bulgarian Mobster

High-profile Bulgaria mobster Zlatomir Ivanov was shot in broad daylight on the steps of the main courtroom building in the Bulgarian capital in January. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia Appellate Court once again postponed the high-profile drug dealing trial against alleged mobster Zlatomir Ivanov aka “Baretata” (The Beret) after it was made clear that the defendant is yet to recover from his gunshot wounds.

Ivanov’s latest medical examination has shown that he would be unable to stand trial for the next three months.

The trial will be renewed on October 15, according to local media.

On January 29, Ivanov was shot in broad daylight in the vicinity of the main courthouse in the Bulgarian capital as he was going there for an appeals hearing in an illegal drugs distribution case against him.

Ivanov survived the attack and was rushed to hospital.

Zlatomir Ivanov was arrested on February 7, 2009, after he turned himself in to Bulgaria's National State Security Agency DANS. He was charged with organizing and leading an organized crime group dealing with drug distribution and murders.

In 2012, he was sentenced to 8 years of jail time.