Sun, Nov 22 2009

Court finds no evidence Drashkov knew documents were forged

Mon, Dec 01 2008 22:32 CET 136 Views
Court finds no evidence Drashkov knew documents were forged

The Sofia District Court ruled on December 1 2008 that Petar Drashkov, who was accused of deals with municipal property involving documents with falsified signatures of Sofia mayor Boiko Borissov, was innocent.

Borissov's signature appeared on a contract, supposedly signed by him in January 2008. The contract regulated the sale of a municipal land plot of 14 063 sq m in the borough of Strelbishte to Drashkov, owner of a company called Sida-S. Based on that contract Drashkov acquired a title deed with his name on it.

Drashkov was arrested on Thursday November 28 at the border with Serbia when he was trying to leave the country, local media reported.

According to the court's ruling on December 1, Drashkov did not know at any time that the documents used in the transaction were forged.
Also, the court ruled, Drashkov had warned investigators ahead of time of his trip to Germany and had made sure his attorney Yavor Notev was available. The court saw no reason to prolonge the arrest of Drashkov.

Prosecutors said the other suspect in the case, Ivelina Trifonova, feared for her life.

According to Bulgarian daily Dnevnik, the court documents showed that Drashkov had paid one million leva to Trifonova, thinking that she was a municipal clerk who helped him arrange document for the ownership of the plot.
According to the prosecution, similar schemes where the only real signature in the documents was that of Drashkov, had been used in other deals as well.

Drashkov's brother, former head of the State Agency for National Security Ivan Drashkov, appeared at the court where he made a statement to journalists before the court hearing took place, saying he believed his brother was innocent.

 

Write comment

Name:Comment:

Generate new code
Send your comment

More in this category

EC suing Bulgaria for Sofia waste disposal failure

The European Commission is taking Bulgaria to court for delays in providing Sofia with adequate waste disposal facilities.

US ambassador-designate Warlick addresses senate confirmation hearing

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 declares flu epidemic at an end

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.

Bulgarian prosecutors to investigate Dogan’s real estate deals

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.

Sofia prosecutors charge Bulgaria’s former defence minister Nikolai Tsonev

Prosecutors allege that a deal agreed by the former defence minister caused losses of 12.9 million leva.