Gambling Boss Vasil Bozhkov Plans to Return to Bulgaria for July 11 Snap Elections

"I'm planning to return to Bulgaria during or after the early parliamentary elections on July 11," announced former gambling boss Vasil Bozhkov in an online interview for the "The Alternative" talk show.

Bozhkov stressed that he has a passport and can travel whenever he wants, despite media reports that his ID document has been taken away. The businessman is not worried about the fact that 19 charges have been brought against him in Bulgaria.

On Friday, Bozhkov's closest associate, Georgi Popov, arrived in Sofia from Dubai. Once his plane landed at Sofia Airport, he was detained by officers of the General Directorate "Security" of the Justice Ministry and police officers. The supervising prosecutors from the specialized prosecutor's office must decide what pre-trial restrictions to request for the businessman.

"Popov's case and mine go together, if there was an extradition, I should have been extradited as well. For me, there is a decision of the UAE Supreme Court that I will not be extradited. And do you know what that decision means? On all 19 charges I am innocent," explained the businessman.

Vasil Bozhkov reiterated that the cause of his and his partner's problems was Boyko Borissov and Delyan Peevski, who took away his business.

"They destroyed my business so as I do not support other political forces.  Borissov kept my business going for years in exchange for 20% "racket", commented the former gambling boss and ironically reminded that in 2019 the authorities suddenly had "found out" that his gambling companies had not paid BGN 700 million in taxes.

Bozhkov also revealed that he was forced to take over the maintenance of the Levski FC because Borissov had threatened him.

"Levski was sheer racketeering. I've...