Sofia Appellate Court Acquits Former Interior Minister on Embezzlement Charges

The Sofia Appellate Court has confirmed the innocence of former Interior Minister of the first center-right GERB cabinet, Tsvetan Tsvetanov on Wednesday.

The decision was made by the three members of court - chair Mariya Mitova, and members Valya Rushanova and Aleksey Trifonov.

Tsvetanov was accused on charge of a BGN 50,000 embezzlement in favor of the Director of the Organized Crime Prevention Office in Veliko Tarnovo - Orlin Todorov , but was acquitted by the Sofia City Court on May 26 2014. The latter had received a suspension compensation in the amount of BGN 50,000, and Tsvetanov was claimed to have participated in a criminal scheme.

Today's court decision can be further appealed in front of the Supreme Court of Cassation (VKS).

Recently, the Sofia Appellate Court has upheld the 4-year prison term of Tsvetan Tsvetanov over the blocked wiretapping motions in one of the four court cases against the former Interior Minister.