“I have only talked with Vladimira Yaneva up to the moment when pre-trial proceedings were launched against her,” Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov said last Thursday.

He did not contest the authenticity of the recorded conversations and even noted that Yaneva was “bringing up facts”. At the same time, he denied being pressured by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to “finish” Yaneva.

The published to date recordings of conversations between Yaneva and another judge, Rumyana Chenalova, (see here, here, here and here) show that there various officials have talked with Yaneva on Friday, February 13, 2015. This is the day after Borisov “read from Brussels the 400-years-in prison sentence” for the so-called case “Worms”.

A week later, on Thursday, February 19, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) removed judge Yaneva from her post of Chair of the Sofia City Court on the proposal of Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov. Tsatsarov based his request on pre-trial proceedings that have been launched against Yaneva. At the SJC meeting it became clear that on Tuesday, February 17, the prosecution has launched proceedings in the case “Worms” against two known perpetrators – a former police officer and Vladimira Yaneva.

Thus, it turns out that Tsatsarov denies having spoken to Yaneva after February 17.

However, in the recordings, Yaneva admits to Chenalova that Sotir Tsatsarov has personally spoken to her by phone on the evening of February 18. The reason for the call was to inform her about the pre-trial proceedings launched against her:

“Vladimira Yaneva: And then, Sotir calls me around 7 or 8 pm in the evening and tells me: “I want you to learn it from me. Tomorrow I will file with the Council that it was initiated… No, proceedings have been initiated against you and tomorrow we will file the removal request with the Council.”

If this is true, the Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov lied shamelessly.

The result of the conversation with Tsatsarov is that Yaneva has been warned what to expect. The next day she communicated with the Chair of the Supreme Administrative Court Georgi Kolev, who informed her what happened at the meeting of the SJC. After learning that she is facing the risk of being indicted and removed automatically from the post, Yaneva instructed “Joro” (Georgi – editor’s note) to “conspire with the people (in SJC – editor’s note)” to remove her under a more favorable paragraph of the Judicial Power Act.

So far, Vladimira Yaneva has refused to comment on the recordings.

А civil protest rally, demanding the resignation of Sotir Tsatsarov, is going to be held tonight (Monday, November 16) at 6:30 pm in front of the main Courthouse in Sofia under the motto “Stop the “finishing” of the judicial reform in Parliament; # RESIGNATION of the Chief Prosecutor and dissolution of the SJC!”

***

If you find this article useful, support our work with a small donation.

Pay a Bivol Tax!

We will highly appreciate if you decide to support us with monthly donations keeping the option Monthly

• About
• Latest Posts

Екип на Биволъ

Екип на сайта за разследваща журналистика. Научете повече тук

Latest posts by Екип на Биволъ (see all)

• Powerful US Lobbyist Aids Businesses Linked to Sanctioned Bulgarian Lawmaker, Has Joint Company with Notorious Attorney - 8 January 2022
• Interview for FAKTI.bg
  

  Assen Yordanov: If a lustration law had been passed, Bulgaria would not be in this state

  - 19 November 2021
• After Peevski, the Magnitsky Act must target his puppeteers. #LUSTRATION is crucial! - 8 June 2021

This post is also available in: Bulgarian