Bulgaria’s former interior minister sentenced to four years imprisonment

Tsvetan Tsvetanov, MP for opposition party GERB who served as interior minister in Boiko Borissov’s cabinet, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment by the Sofia City Court for obstruction of justice for refusing to authorize wire-tapping as part of a police investigation, the Bulgarian newswire Sofia Globe reported May 29.

“Tsvetanov denied the using wire-taps against Orlin Todorov, who was head of the Veliko Turnovo unit of the chief directorate for combatting organized crime (CDCOC) until his resignation in May 2013,” the prosecution said, as cited by the newswire. “This prevented the collection of evidence against Todorov. As interior minister, it was Tsvetanov’s duty to authorise the wire-taps after a court order had been issued.”

The trial began in March, as reported by CEE Insight. This is the second court’s rulling against Tsvetanov in surveillance case and the verdict can be appealed.

On May 26 local media reported that Tsvetanov was acquitted in a trial for large-scale embezzlement of BGN 50,000 the budget of the Interior Ministry. The money was allegedly embezzled to the benefit of  the aforementioned Orlin Todorov.

Tsvetanov is also accused of alleged illegal surveillance  in another trial that begans May 30. He has pleaded not guilty on all charges.