Third Witness in Asen Vasilev Case Reveals Details in Sofia Appeal Court
The trial against Asen Vasilev driver Lachezar Stavrev,operative under a secret alias, took a significant turn today in the Sofia Appeal Court. A third witness, presenting insights into the illicit operations of smuggling routes and migrant channels, provided crucial testimony, as disclosed by the Sofia Appellate Prosecutor’s Office.
This witness elaborated on Stavrev’s recruitment methods within the Customs administration, shedding light on an intricate web of corruption and abuse of power. Moreover, it was revealed that Stefan Dimitrov, previously detained along with his father Marin Dimitrov in a separate smuggling case, had expressed a desire to testify in the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office. Stavrev’s lawyer, Lubomir Cekov, maintains that the entire case against his client rests solely on the testimonies of Petya Bankova and Stefan Dimitrov, both co-accused.
Memorandums from Jean Popov, a former ministry of finance guard, also resurfaced. Popov claimed that Stavrev dictated who to register, and who to omit, in the ministry’s visitor log. In response, Cekov asserted that his client had already provided a statement to Commissioner Alisa Dimitrova in April.
Stavrev himself called for a lighter restraining measure. The court is expected to deliver its verdict soon.
