How can a court decision to place a person from prison under house arrest be settled? Who are the „professionals“ with influence over judges of the Specialized Court? How much does this cost and for how long is the „service“ delivered? Today, the Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) published the first episode of its new investigation „QUICK CONTROL LIST: The Story of Veselin Denkov and Specialized Justice“, which includes witness stories and recordings of secret conversations with people in contact with the judiciary.
Veselin Denkov is the owner of iconic Sofia restaurants, detained in September 2020 on charges of participating in an organized criminal group for usury. The recordings of a series of conversations between Ivayla Bakalova, who lives in cohabitation with Veselin Denkov, and not very well-known people so far, reveal who the „helpers“ with influence in the judiciary are.
A few quotes from real conversations held in April 2021 give an idea of exactly how to talk about corruption and settling court decisions:
–Are you sure you can do it?“
– Yes. We will not reveal details…
– And you talk to her personally?
-We don’t know anyone.“ We talk to God. We go to church, light a candle, pray.
– So, you don’t care who talks to whom, it’s our job. You want a result.
…
– So, in return, what we will do is change his measure, that’s what is wanted, that’s the task.
– The amount will not be BGN 20, it will not be BGN 40, there will be more. Just to know that…
„It must be over BGN100. Do you understand me?“
– BGN 100 000?
– Euro.
One of those registered is lawyer Emil Piskov, a former employee of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and the State Agency for National Security. He lives in a declared cohabitation with Judge Margarita Nemska from the Administrative Court – Sofia City, who is a former Deputy City Prosecutor of Sofia.
His „colleague“ is Martin Bozhanov, posing as a consultant and known as the „Notary“. Publications link it to dubious real estate deals, and one of them immediately catches the eye. It is a case stolen in 2004 by the Supreme Court of Cassation against Slavi Krashevski, a notary with revoked rights and dozens of criminal proceedings. The case disappeared from the court’s lawyer’s room during the lunch break, along with original documents on it. Pre-trial proceedings were instituted against the man against a man named „Martin Bozhanov“ and his relative named „Boyko Bojanov“, but there is no information about the outcome of the case.
„I am unconvicted and without pending proceedings. So far.“ – This is the only comment of Bozhanov, asked for an interview.
„The recordings in the film contain material for a serious investigation of corrupt influences and practices in the judiciary.„, said Andrey Yankulov, a former prosecutor and senior legal expert at the ACF.
The author of the film is the investigative journalist Nikolay Staykov. The presented episode „Talking to God“ is the first part of the investigation „QUICK CONTROL LIST: The story of Veselin Denkov and specialized justice“.
