TRIAL AGAINST FORMER BULGARIAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE NIKOLAI NENCHEV STARTED

The trial against Bulgaria’s former defence minister Nikolai Nenchev began in Sofia City Court on 22nd of February. He is charged with malfeasance in office over a deal for modernization of MiG-29 fighter aircarft engines. At the insistence of the Prosecutor’s office, the sitting was held behind closed doors because the indictment included classified information.

The trial began under the general terms, not under the summary procedure. For more than an hour, the court dealt with organizational procedural matters becuase the defense lawyer noted at the start that Nikolai Nenchev was included in the lists for the upcoming early general elections and had immunity.

Nenchev said he would not mind the court trial to go on and left it to the discretion of the court. The Prosecutor’s office also said there were no obstacles for the trial to continue because the charges were pressed before the start of the pre-election campaign.

The court also ruled against postponing the trial.

There are more than 20 witnesses including Bulgaria’s President Roumen Radev who was expected to appear in court today, but it became clear he was notified that he had to appear on a later date.

photo by BTA