BULGARIAN SOCIALIST MEP HOPEFUL WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTION IN STRASBOURG Mind the horns!

The building of the Tribunal in Strasbourg

Dostena Angelova- Laverne, whose position on the BSP ballot for the European elections gives her a great chance to be elected as MEP, has received a criminal conviction in Strasbourg at the end of last week. This was confirmed for Bivol by the secretariat of the competent court – Tribunal de Grande Instance in Strasbourg.

The sentence is for hiding (not presenting within the legal deadline) a child under Article 227 of the French Penal Code. It qualifies this offense as misdemeanor (thus this is not an administrative offense). The penalty is one year imprisonment and a fine of up to 15 000 euros, but the court ruled that Laverne must pay a fine of 1 000 euros and 1 500 euros in compensations.

The issue of compatibility between the status of MEP and the existence of a criminal conviction is open because, according to the French Penal Code, a conviction under this Article shall be entered in the criminal record of the person for a period of 10 years, unless the court rules otherwise. Civil servants in France must have a clean criminal record and under French law there is also such requirement for MEPs from that country.

Bivol made an official request using the appropriate form (see here) to receive a copy of the verdict, which has been read publicly.

Laverne lives in Strasbourg and works as journalist in political culture magazine and teaches anthropology at the University of Strasbourg. She was nominated for the BSP ballot by a group of Bulgarian left-wing intellectuals.

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