Today, the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office announced that it had terminated the criminal proceedings for criminal conspiracy and crime in office against Presidential Adviser Plamen Uzunov and businessman Plamen Bobokov. In the meantime, the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office announced that the other investigation into the unauthorised management of hazardous waste related to the businessman was continuing.
The proceedings, which have been terminated, were initiated in the summer of 2020 by the now closed Specialized Prosecutor’s Office, and the essence of the accusation against Uzunov is that he sent information to Bobokov via a mobile app about political life in Libya and Ukraine and the development of hostilities in Libya. His aim was to obtain a benefit for Bobokov, as the information provided was necessary for him to make decisions related to his economic interests in these countries, the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) said. According to the state prosecution, significant harmful consequences resulted from this – disclosure of official information, undermining the prestige of the presidential institution and endangering national security.
The initiation of the criminal proceedings was widely publicized by the leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office, the public was made aware of the materials of the investigation and procedural and investigative actions were noisily carried out in the building of the Presidency, secured by armed officers of the Protection Bureau of the Prosecutor General.
The case is one of those monitored in the annual monitoring reports of the ACF /the latest report here, case 44/ for investigations of alleged corruption in high places of power. Its beginning, development and end follow a pattern repeated many times in these criminal proceedings – a loud media start, then a lull and a final conclusion that no crime has been committed. The difference is that usually the final act follows a lengthy trial, while here the prosecution itself finalises the case, the Fund added.
