Bulgaria's Ex Chief Mufti Released on Bail, Spits Curses

Politics | February 28, 2006, Tuesday // 00:00
Bulgaria's Ex Chief Mufti Released on Bail, Spits Curses Bulgaria's former mufti Nedim Gendzhev, who is charged with illegally withdrawing huge sums from the accounts of the Chief Mufti Office, enters Sofia City Court Tuesday morning. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia News Agency)

Sofia City Court released on bail of BGN 10,000 Bulgaria's former mufti Nedim Gendzhev, who is charged with being involved in illegally withdrawing huge sums from the accounts of the Chief Mufti Office.

The court ruled that there is evidence that Gendzhev has committed a crime, but there was no risk that he may leave the country.

"All my life I have been guided in my actions by the law and the interests of the county," Gendhzev said in court.

On February 18 Sofia Regional Court ruled that Gendzhev remains in custody for an indefinite period of time.

The former mufti was arrested on February 15, ahead of a planned press conference. He was accused by the current holder of the post of illegally withdrawing nearly BGN 1 M from two accounts of the Chief Mufti Office and transferring them to his son's private foundation.

Gendzhev's supporters struck back, saying the ethnic Turks leader in the country Ahmed Dogan is prosecuting educated religious leaders. In a statement circulated to media, the ruling coalition ally Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the outgoing chief prosecutor Nikola Filchev and the three latest chief muftis Fikri Sali, Selim Mehmed and Mustafa Hadzhi were blamed for the chaos and destruction in the Mufti Office.

Prior to the start of the court session the defendant said that the trial is commissioned by an ethnic political party and cursed former Prosecutor Nikola Filchev, who is likely to be appointed Bulgaria's Ambassador to Kazakhstan.

"He will never leave (the country), but even if he does, my curse will get him," Gendzhev said.

The Chief Mufti Office scandal broke out shortly after Bulgaria's Red Cross head Hristo Grigorov was arrested and later released on suspicions of siphoning humanitarian aid that his much-trusted organization was to distribute.

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