Sat, Nov 21 2009
An Australian national was arrested by the police in the Black Sea city of Varna on November 7 2008 on charges of paedophilia, Varna police said in a statement on November 10 2008.
The statement said that the Canberra-born Australian medic, aged 35, arrived in Bulgaria earlier in the month, the police said. This was not his first visit to the country and the town. He was arrested in an apartment on Dragan Tsankov street in the city.
He was found in the company of two under-aged boys, the police said, with local media alleging that they were from the nearby Roma neighbourhood. During the arrest, police officers seized a photo camera, a video camera and a number of CDs. Local media reported that police said that they had found sex toys and stimulants.
The statement did not say what was the content of the CDs, but it did say that on November 4-7, the Australian had produced pornographic materials and had sexual contact with three under-aged boys.
The alleged paedophile was first detained for 72 hours, but the Varna Regional Court decided to extend the arrest. The court decided that because the Australian entered the country with a tourist visa, he might try to leave the country if granted bail. He can appeal against the court decision on November 18 2008.
If found guilty on the charges of having sexual contact with minors and of creating a pornographic network, the Australian could face up to six years imprisonment.
Vladimir Kouzov leaves Parliament two-and-a-half years after he was charged with paedophilia
The European Commission is taking Bulgaria to court for delays in providing Sofia with adequate waste disposal facilities.
James Warlick is the spouse of Mary Warlick, director of the office of Russian affairs at the US state department, who has been nominated to serve as ambassador to Serbia
Bulgaria’s Health Ministry announced on November 20 2009 that the flu epidemic declared two weeks earlier is at an end as rates of infection decline. The announcement coincides with reports of two deaths from A (H1N1) flu in Bulgaria.
Acting on allegations by Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria leader Ivan Kostov, prosecutors and Government officials are to probe deals by which Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Ahmed Dogan acquired various properties.
Prosecutors allege that a deal agreed by the former defence minister caused losses of 12.9 million leva.