City Court Returns Wiretapping Case against Bulgaria's Former IM

Sofia City Court returned the illegal wiretapping case against Bulgaria's former interior minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov to the Prosecutor's Office.

Magistrate Petar Gunchev has found serious procedure violations in the indictments against former IM Tsvetanov and three former executives with the specialized directorate for operational and technical operations.

The news about the court's ruling was released unofficially and so far there has been no commentary on behalf of the Prosecutor's Office and the court, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported.

The Prosecutor's Office can appeal against the decision of Sofia City Court before the Court of Appeals.

Tsvetanov is charged on three counts, respectively, of blocking six court-approved permits to use special surveillance devices against Orlin Todorov, former head of the Interior's Chief Directorate "Combating Organized Crime" (GDBOP) in Veliko Tarnovo, of large-scale embezzlement (BGN 50 000) to the benefit of Orlin Todorov, and failing to exercise proper oversight over Interior Ministry officials in charge of implementing special surveillance equipment, as result of which unauthorized wiretapping took place.