Bozhkov released from house arrest, barred from elections
Former gambling tycoon Vasil Bozhkov has been freed from house arrest on bail of 130 thousand levs. The businessman had been detained since his return from Dubai eight months ago after having his gambling business seized and being charged on 19 counts in 2020.
Bozhkov had announced in February that he was creating a new political grouping called Center that would contest the June elections.
The prosecutor's office also brought another case to court today, one that charges Bozhkov with heading an organized criminal group. The lottery mogul claimed it was an orchestrated and well-timed attempt to thwart his political campaign.
"They brought the case to court one day before the house arrest measure expired, so that I could not actively participate in the upcoming elections. They are trying to stop the inevitable," he wrote in a Facebook post.
Lunar Festival begins this week
Some central streets in Sofia will be closed for the Lunar festival, which will transform the capital into an open-air gallery on evenings between May 9 and 12.
Sofia's Deputy Mayor for Transport Iliyan Pavlov urged people to use public transport during the events. All metro lines will run until 1:30 am and bus lines will be available until 4 am on the four evenings of the festival.
Video and static 3D mapping, light installations, immersive experiences and a laser show will illuminate some of the capital's favorite buildings and parks. And more than 20 international artists will present their art on the event's 4.5 kilometer route.
This year's organizers are dedicating a new festival area - South Park 2. The locations will be accessible free of charge and lights will be switched on between 21:00 and 00:00 on each of the four nights.
Simobotics launches autonomous mobile robot
Local startup Simobotics has created the first Bulgarian autonomous mobile robot that can transform itself depending on the application. It is called MITO and its mass serial production will begin in 2025 in the city of Mizia, where the company's base is located.
"The product was developed within six months by myself and a core team of six engineers, with the indirect participation of 60 specialists. The investment in the project is 200 thousand levs and was financed by me personally," the creator of MITO Dr. Georgi Georgiev said.
Bozhkov released from house arrest, barred from elections
Former gambling tycoon Vasil Bozhkov has been freed from house arrest on bail of 130 thousand levs. The businessman had been detained since his return from Dubai eight months ago after having his gambling business seized and being charged on 19 counts in 2020.
