Sofia Appellate Court Chief Temporarily Dismissed

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council has voted to temporarily remove from office the head of the Sofia Appellate Court, Veselin Pengezov.

The SJC ruled the same for Petko Petkov, head of the Military Appellate Court. Of the 20 members, 16 voted in favor of removing them from office, a move initiated by the Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov.

Both Pengezov and Petkov face charges of embezzlement using EU funds. Another high-ranking official indicted for assisting them in the scheme is Maria Divizieva, chief of cabinet of PM Plamen Oresharski.

The probe, launched in 2010, concerns an EU-funded project worth over BGN 700 000 for software for military courts.