Judge with compromised past attacks chair in ACSC

Supreme Administrative Court Judge Dobromir Andreev is among the most controversial magistrates who were recently employed there. Despite the abundance of disturbing moments in Andreev’s professional biography, he is considered a favorite of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court Georgi Cholakov, for the vacant position of administrative head at the Sofia Administrative Court – Guard (ACSC). In fact, Judge Andreev is the rapporteur on the case initiated after the appeal of the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation Lozan Panov against the criminal decree of the National Audit Office for the unsubmitted declaration for 2017[1]. Many mainstream administrators believe that Panov’s appeal was rejected in clear violation of the law and established case law. Andreev’s decision, however, gives a definite indication that he is part of the “strong forces” of the circle around Peevski.

Since its independence, the ACSC has made it clear that justice is not administered there in the “rut” of Cholakov and the SJC. The latest evidence of this is the decision of the ACSC, which confirmed the revocation of the license of “Delta Guard”. Over the years, the security company has gained a reputation as a “penal brigade” of GERB and MRF and Peevski’s “personal guard”, but this did not weigh in their favor before the ACSC.

It is probably no coincidence that after 2018 the Sofia District Administrative Court has become a kind of “Central Administrative Court” that hears cases against the decisions of regulators[2]. The logic is these cases to be heard by the ACSC, where the outcome is not clear, because many judges there rule according to the law. ACSO is tasked with the cases in question on the proposal of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court Georgi Cholakov[3]. The motive he points out is not to further burden the already overloaded Sofia City Administrative Court, while the cases to remain in the capital. With its “blessing” the Legal Committee voted ACSO to take over the challenges of the special jurisdictions. Today, the results are visible.

The “installation” of Dobromir Andreev in the chairwoman of the ACSC cabinet would definitely strengthen Cholakov’s influence in the unit. He could be nominated as a candidate for president by the general assembly of the court, which, however, hides its risks.

After the competitions[4] of the last 2-3 years, the “suitable” candidates were recruited in the ACSC. In view of the new composition, the potential election of Dobromir Andreev as a candidate nominated by the general meeting of the court seems a foregone conclusion. Especially if the vote is open.

To date, 35 – 40 judges out of 72 in the ACSC have more or less pronounced dependencies on the President of the Supreme Administrative Court or on the status quo dominated by the MRF in the SJC. Zornitsa Krasteva-Doychinova, who took one of the vacant deputy. Chairs after the uploading of Lyubka Petrova and Dobromir Andreev to the Supreme Administrative Court[5], she has been lobbying for Andreev for weeks. Sources from the ACSC say that she even tried to collect signatures from magistrates in order to nominate the former deputy prime minister. President for President of the Court, but without going through a discussion in the General Assembly of the Court. Zornitsa Krasteva-Doychinova is not a random shot, she is the daughter-in-law of Marina Mihaylova[6] – the unsuccessful candidate for a member of the SJC from the failed election months ago.

The other, who also apparently lobbied for Andreev in Galin Nestorov. He is among the judges with the worst reputation in the ACSC. His pronouncements leave the impression that he clearly defends the interests of Peevski and Geshev[7]. Of course, there is also a hypothesis that Nestorov was simply kept on a “short leash” after a serious road accident. The judge then refused to give a blood or breathalyzer test, raising suspicion that he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Sure about Andreev seems the voice of Antony Yordanov, who, in addition to a former prosecutor, is also the son of Dima Yordanova. She is a retired judge from the Supreme Administrative Court, considered close to Kolev. Lilia Yordanova – wife of Antony Yordanov, who soon also joined the ACSC will hardly deviate from the course set by the management.

Judge Daniela Gouneva, a former prosecutor from Plovdiv, would probably also support Cholakov’s candidate. In a similar situation is Judge Vyara Ruseva – Ivanova, who is the daughter of the retired judge from the Supreme Administrative Court Srebrina Hrtistova. Her husband is Ivaylo Emilov Ivanov, who is a former chairman of the AC Pernik is now a judge in the Supreme Administrative Court. If she does not support Cholakov’s choice, it is likely that her husband would have serious difficulties. The votes of judges Georgi Terziev – former investigator, Genoveva Yoncheva – former judicial assistant from the Supreme Administrative Court, Maria Vladimirova – ex judicial assistant SAC, Maria Shishkova – deputy judge – Tarziev – Former Judicial Assistant – SAC, Maria Shishkova – Deputy Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court. Prosecutor General at Tsatsarov and Margarita Nemska. The latter is a former spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office and lives with the hero of the Eight Dwarfs – lawyer Emil Piskov[8].

The calculation of the support for Dobromir Andreev also includes Judge Maria Boykinova – former representative of GERB in the CEC, Tsvetanka Paunova – former personal judicial assistant to the representative of the SJC Boyan Magdalinchev, Mladen Semov – Secretary General of the Supreme Administrative Court and alleged to be very close to Cholakov, Anastasia Hitova, whose mother Diana Hitova is the only magistrate who from an external competition becomes a direct judge in the Supreme Court of Cassation, Iveta Stefanova – daughter of Penka Stefanova – prosecutor from VAP and companion in the life of the judge from the Supreme Administrative Court Martin Avramov[9], Maya Suknarova – daughter of Bozhidar Suknarov – former member of the SJC and retired judge of the Supreme Court of Cassation. Judge Snezhanka Kiosseva, wife of SAC judge Emanuil Mitev would also be in a “delicate” situation if she did not support Dobromir Andreev. Very curious is the case of Judge Rositsa Tsvetkova – former President of the AC Targovishte. She took office in the AC on 15 March to participate in the general assembly of the court.

Viewed outside the context of Cholakov’s relationship, Judge Andreev’s candidacy for the post of administrative head of the ACSC is strange. She doesn’t seem to be motivated by a desire for career growth. Just a few months ago – in July 2021, Andreev took the position of a judge in the Supreme Administrative Court[10].

The dizzying career of Dobromir Andreev does not correspond to the fact that he was punished by the SJC in 2009 in connection with the scandal “Krasio the Black[11]“. The magistrate was given a disciplinary sanction for paying attention to 33[12] incoming and outgoing conversations with Krasimir Georgiev. In 2009, the disclosure of contacts between Krasio the Black and the magistrates became a reason for investigation[13] of an unregulated influence of the businessman in the personnel in the judicial system. In fact, the scandal did not lead to anything, except that the SJC dealt with the magistrates, who were not close to the then ruling situation, but were implicated in relations with Georgiev. The businessman’s other “contacts” were “sanctioned” by paying attention. The compromised Andreev, who was a judge at RS Varna between 2009 and 2011, was seconded to the Sofia City Court when Vladimira Yaneva was chaired there. Before being seconded, Andreev had more experience as an investigator prosecutor, but for some reasons he was given a chance for development. He administered justice in the largest court in Bulgaria until 2014. Then he was appointed by the SJC as a judge in the ACSC, where between 2017 and 2021 he was Deputy Chairman of the European Parliament. chairman. To date, already at the peak of career development, as a judge in the Supreme Administrative Court.

The facts justify the hypothesis that behind Andreev’s career growth in 2012 stand the MP from GERB (today MEP) Emil Radev and the then second in GERB Tsvetan Tsvetanov. According to insiders, he insisted before Vladimira Yaneva for the secondment of Andreev from the Varna District Court. A curious fact is that while he was seconded to the Sofia City Court, Andreev was taken to the case against Tsvetan Tsvetanov[14] with the motive that his sister Maya Andreeva is a member of the CEC from the quota of GERB. This is a direct proof of his ties with the powerful of the day.

Maya Andreeva[15] He works in Emil Radev’s law firm. During the management of GERB she was for many years a member of the board of Sofia Airport EAD[16]. Witnesses claim that Andreeva traveled together with Emil Radev[17] and Nikolaicho Gigov to Tripoli, Libya, to demand 4.5 million fees, looking like racketeering from a representative of the Libyan state for the return of the detained in Bulgaria Libyan tanker Badr. A case in which only one former SPS employee of the SDVR was punished for his participation in the pirate raid[18].

Of course, there is also the hypothesis that Dobromir Andreev will run for President of the ACSC without being nominated by the General Assembly. If his candidacy is discussed, then there will be a significant number of negative opinions that will highlight the above facts. Of course, if Dobromir Andreev fails, Cholakov also has a backup option. It is very likely that this will be judge Lyubka Petrova, whose best man is the famous lawyer of Peevski – Alexander Angelov.

The organization around the competition for Chairman of the ACSC is only a warm-up before the election of the new composition of the SJC. According to bird.bg sources, while the National Assembly is hanging out with the amendments to the Judiciary Act, the circles around Geshev and Cholakov are preparing the election of future members of the council in the judicial regions of Varna, Burgas, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Plovdiv. The lack of the so expected legislative activity will probably lead to a strengthening of the positions of the status quo under the new composition of the SJC and the judicial reform will continue to be only empty of meaning phrase.

[1] https://www.svobodnaevropa.bg/a/29872775.html

[2] https://www.asso-bg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=565&Itemid=114

[3]https://news.lex.bg/%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D1%81%D1%8A%D0%B4-%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B5/

[4] https://bird.bg/vss-nepotism/

[5] https://news.lex.bg/%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BD-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BC-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0% B5/

[6] https://news.lex.bg/%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D1%81-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B1%D0%B0-%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%B0-%D0%B8-%D1%81/

[7] https://www.segabg.com/node/181276

[8] https://www.svobodnaevropa.bg/a/31302122.html

[9] http://www.sac.government.bg/news/bg/201721-4

[10] http://www.vss.justice.bg/page/view/106863

[11] https://www.mediapool.bg/krasyo-cherniya-e-amnistiran-ot-prokuraturata-sled-8-godini-razmotavane-news273266.html

[12] http://www.vss.justice.bg/root/f/upload/7/full_protokol-45-19_11_09.pdf

[13] https://www.24chasa.bg/Article/287312

[14] https://www.24chasa.bg/Article/3047651

[16] https://bird.bg/tr/?v=view&guid=121023551

[17] https://bivol.bg/emil-radev-gigov-badr.html

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