The Sofia District Court sentenced Friday Hristosko Vretenarov, former director of the Sofia "Tramcar" tram factory to two and a half years in prison for embezzlement.

Vretenarov is accused of misappropriating BGN 670,000 from December 1, 2005 until December 4, 2007.

Vretenarov pleaded guilty, but failed to explain where did the drained amounts go and who used them.

The Prosecutor has asked for a sentence of eight years in jail.

The former director was also sentenced to repay the BGN 670,000 as damages to the "Tramcar" private accusers. Vretenarov refused to comment on the sentence when exiting the courtroom.

His attorney, Dimitar Vulchev pointed out that this has been one of the few cases when the defendant admits his guilt and presents evidence to help the conclusion of the case and because of that his client deserved a lighter sentence.

The Prosecutor insists that Vretenarov has been personally using the money for gambling. Vretenarov himself stated that the amounts have been given to people he depended on. The only name that he mentioned was the one of Iordan Vasilev, the former director of the municipal company "Capital Electric Transportation." Vretenarov said that part of the money has gone to Vasilev trough the business of Vasilev's wife Simona.

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