Former prosecutor Petrov fails to attend court
Sofia City Court has returned the case against former investigator Petyo Petrov, known as "the Euro," to the prosecution due to discrepancies in the dates within the indictment. Petrov, who failed to appear in court despite being summoned, is now the subject of a European arrest warrant, as the judge ruled that his absence suggests he is in hiding.
The case, initiated in July 2021, involves allegations of large-scale document fraud, with Petrov accused of illegally acquiring gold coins, bullion, and cash worth 1.3 million levs from the Zlatanov family. The Zlatanovs did not attend the hearing, with their lawyers arguing that the indictment lacked specific details on individual financial damages.
Bids sought for industrial hub renovationsThe Southern Industrial Zone in Vidin, located on part of the former Vidahim tire factory site, is the latest of 11 projects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan searching for a construction company.
The public tender, valued at 24.5 million levs (excluding VAT), includes infrastructure rehabilitation and reconstruction of Vidin-South Industrial Park, with a deadline for bids set for March 24.
The project involves a complete overhaul of roads, water supply, and electrical systems, including new pipelines, street lighting, transformers, and EV charging stations, with completion expected within 350 days but no later than June 30, 2026. The private investor, VN Investzone, is owned by Anel General (87.52%) and Prestige Energy (12.48%), with financial and professional eligibility criteria requiring bidders to have a minimum turnover of 49 million levs over the last three years.
Former customs chief still awaiting trial
For at least four months, there has been no progress in the case against former customs director Petya Bankova, who is accused of participating in an organized smuggling ring alongside ex-Interior Ministry secretary Zhivko Kotsev, Nikola "Pascal" Nikolov, and others. Bankova's lawyer, Lyudmil Rangelov, stated on bTV that based on his experience, Pascal will likely never be extradited from Serbia, which effectively blocks the prosecution since he is considered a key participant in the alleged criminal group. Rangelov also clarified that Bankova was not pressured into changing her testimony; instead, it was her own decision after a long period in detention.Former prosecutor Petrov fails to attend court
Sofia City Court has returned the case against former investigator Petyo Petrov, known as "the Euro," to the prosecution due to discrepancies in the dates within the indictment. Petrov, who failed to appear in court despite being summoned, is now the subject of a European arrest warrant, as the judge ruled that his absence suggests he is in hiding.
The case, initiated in July 2021, involves allegations of large-scale document fraud, with Petrov accused of illegally acquiring gold coins, bullion, and cash worth 1.3 million levs from the Zlatanov family. The Zlatanovs did not attend the hearing, with their lawyers arguing that the indictment lacked specific details on individual financial damages.
Bids sought for industrial hub renovationsThe Southern Industrial Zone in Vidin, located on part of the former Vidahim tire factory site, is the latest of 11 projects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan searching for a construction company.
