The Sofia City Court sentenced Saturday to a eight-year imprisonment, the former Director of the State Savings Bank Bistra Dimitrova for large-scale abuses during the banking crisis of 1995-96.

Dimitrova was found guilty of giving credits without proper guarantees between May 1995 and July 1996 to several banks - "First Private Bank" Jsc, Agrobusiness Bank, Businessbank, Touristsport Bank, and Dobrudja Commercial Bank.

As a result of the contracts with these banks, the State Savings Bank lost a total of BGN 12,942 M in today's money.

Dimitrova was also found guilty of selling long-term state bonds to the banking institution Fix Plus Jsc, which lead to the loss of BGN 2,6 M for the State Savings Bank.

Court also deprived Dimitrova of the right to occupy state administration positions and management positions in private institutions for eleven years.

The verdict could be appealed within a 15-day period before the Sofia Appellate Court.

Dimitrova's verdict is one of the first verdicts issues against a Bulgarian banker involved in the enormous banking crisis of 1995-1996, during the government of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, when millions of Bulgarians lost their savings.

A number of bankers have been acquitted of charges related to the banking crisis, and a number of them have fled the country, and are still living abroad.

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