Bulgaria: Alleged Mafia Boss Runs as Majority MP Candidate
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=104697
by novinite.com - June 15, 2009
Bulgaria’s alleged crime boss, Angel Hristov, is going to lead the majority ticket of the Party for Liberal Alternative and Peace PLAM (FLAME) in the city of Pernik.
The news was reported by the Bulgarian information agency BTA.
In addition to Hristov, PLAM has listed three candidates on their proportional ballot in Pernik. Hristov is further the sole PLAM proportional candidate in the other western city of Kyustendil. 16 parties total have registered to run for seats in the future Bulgarian Parliament in the Pernik Region.
In the mean time, the Chair of the Kyustendil Regional Court confirmed for the Bulgarian National radios, BNR, that the court had received five boxes of files with documents related to the “Galevi brothers” case. The Court further received requests for release from jail deposited by attorney, Menko Menkov. Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov aka the “Galevi brothers” are set to be released from detention after both being allowed to run for parliamentary seats and thus receiving immunity from prosecution.
The news was revealed Friday that Hristov is the only Kyustednil candidate of PLAM and his registration documents were submitted Friday afternoon with the Regional Electoral Commission in Kyustendil. On Wednesday, the Regional Electoral Commission confirmed that Galev, had been registered to run in the upcoming general elections.
Galev and Hristov, have been investigated over a long period of time for various crimes in the southwest town of Dupnitsa, most notably racketeering and organized crime. The Sofia City Prosecutor recently officially moved the case against the Galevi brothers to the Sofia City Court and the two are charged with running an organized criminal group.
However, as official MP candidates, they receive immunity from prosecution and the Court will not be able to set a date for the trial
