Mayor of Bulgaria's Galiche Released on Bail

Tsenko Chokov, the controversial mayor of Galiche in northwestern Bulgaria, was released on bail by a court on Monday.

Chokov was imposed a bail of 10 000, while the measure ruled for his son, Martin Chokov, was changed from detention to house arrest.

The Specialized Court of Appeals took the decision after the two had spent nearly eight months in detention during the pre-trial proceedings against them.

Earlier, the Specialized Criminal Court had decided to place Chokov under house arrest, citing his medical condition, but the ruling was overturned.

Now, it was precisely health motives that led magistrates to grant his appeal.

Tsenko Chokov, alongside his son and several others, was detained and charged last year with participating in a criminal group, run by the mayor himself, which allegedly dealt with usury, racketeering, kidnapping, inflicting physical injuries and setting cars on fire.