Bulgarian voters urged not to elect suspected criminals

President says country’s reputation is at risk

Bulgarian Gypsies and supporters of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party (DPS) at a pre-election campaign rally in the town of Pazardzhik, east of Sofia, on Sunday.

By Anna Mudeva - Reuters

SOFIA – President Georgi Parvanov called on Bulgarians yesterday not to vote for suspected criminals standing in a national election in July to avert a further blow to the Balkan country’s poor reputation on crime.

Last week, Bulgarian courts released three businessmen from custody and suspended their trials, conceding them temporary immunity from prosecution after they registered to run for parliament on July 5. They will get permanent immunity if elected.

The Balkan country, which joined the European Union in 2007, is under growing pressure from Brussels to crack down on organized crime and rampant corruption.

Failing to show results could lead to more sanctions after Brussels cut Sofia’s access to millions in EU aid last year.

Parvanov urged lawmakers to remove legal loopholes in order to bar such people from standing in elections, national radio quoted him as saying in the southern town of Kardzhali.

“If we now allow people burdened with heavy sins [to enter parliament] this would not only blacken Bulgaria’s image but would also hurt our perception about democracy profoundly,” he said. “That is why every voter must use their conscience.”

Last week, a Bulgarian court gave temporary immunity to Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov, arrested in January on charges of racketeering and running an organized crime group, after they registered as independent candidates in the ballot.

According to local council officials, the two effectively ran the southwestern town of Dupnitsa for years through contacts in the police, courts and tax authorities. They have come to symbolize a climate of impunity in the Balkan country since the collapse of communism 20 years ago.

Last week, a Sofia court suspended a key trial over EU aid fraud after one of the accused, Ivan Ivanov, got temporary immunity by registering to run in the elections. The trial of nine Bulgarians over alleged fraud worth 7.5 million euros under the EU SAPARD farm program is being closely watched by Brussels as a test of Bulgaria’s will to produce results.

Another voting candidate is Alexander Tomov, a former vice president of Bulgaria and ex-president of the CSKA Sofia soccer club, who is awaiting trial for embezzling 36 million levs ($25.5 million).

Ivailo Drazhev, the former head of the Chernomorets soccer club, who is awaiting trial for drunk driving and causing the deaths of two people in 1998, will also run for parliament. He is also charged with siphoning off cash from a Bulgarian firm.