2024-09-12 11:34:45
The defendant businessman will participate in the elections with coalition or will support another
Half of the defendants from Vasil Bozhkov’s gang in the gambling case are pensioners, including him. This became clear at the hearing on Wednesday, when the court approved the questioning of only 22 witnesses out of all 270 who are being questioned during the investigation.
The defendants in the gambling case are 10 people. “I’m a scholarship holder of the NOI”, joked the former head of the gambling commission Ognemir Mitev, when the judge asked him what he did for a living. Mitev has already crossed the 70s. Two other defendants will soon reach this age – businessmen Alexander Tumparov and Boris Bekyarov, who also announced that they are pensioners. This is what Vasil Bozhkov, who recently turned 68, said about himself, as well as his partner Georgi Popov, who was with him in Dubai but returned home earlier. In early 2020, when the investigation into the unpaid gambling fees began, all were of working age. This is the first case involving an organized crime group in which most of the defendants are of retirement age.
The others are Alexander Georgiev, also former head of the gambling commission, Todor Markov, the person in charge of control at the now-closed institution, Plamen Georgiev, the former member of the same institution, Bozhkov’s wife Elena Dineva, and secretary Yoana Cholakova. The charges are about a criminal group for extortion, official and corruption crimes, led by Bozhkov. The basis of the case is the unpaid BGN 560 million of state gambling fees for the 5 years during which his lotteries operated. The case will be heard under the abbreviated procedure. The main witnesses are the brothers Tsvetomir and Boyan Naydenov, who were Bozhkov’s partners. On Wednesday, they did not appear, but their lawyer said they will appear on November 6, when they are summoned. On this day, as well as on the 7th and 8th, all witnesses will be questioned.
“I admire the desire of the defense for a shortened trial. Thus, the case will end quickly”, said prosecutor Angel Kanev after the hearing.
“This case is ridiculous and pointless, there is not a single witness, Serafimov and the Naydenov brothers are sometimes open witnesses, other times they are secret. We accept the statements of all 270 witnesses, but we want only 22 to be questioned in the hall”, said Vasil Bozhkov. In addition, he was also investigated in the case of his antiques, as well as incitement to the murder of 3 people – Manol Velev, Yordan Dinov and Boyka Stoyanova. It has also been filed in court and an injunction hearing is pending.
“I expect this case to be returned to the prosecutor’s office. There is nothing there. I have not committed any crimes, I am not worried about other cases”, announced Bozhkov, who is also the leader of the Center party. “In the elections, maybe we will appear in a coalition or we will support someone, we haven’t decided yet. We will be with those who are against Peevski, addictions and corruption”, said Bozhkov on the current topic for the vote on October 27.