Alleged Mafia Bosses Believe Bulgaria's Politics Are Immoral

Bulgaria's shady businessmen and alleged mafia bosses aka the Galevi brothers vow to work for their town - Dupnitsa if they are elected Members of Bulgaria's future Parliament.

The recently released from jail, Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov, gave an interview Thursday for Bulgaria's daily "Trud" (Labor).

They say they would give up their immunity in case they succeed to become MPs.

Just two days ago the Kyustendil Regional Court decided to release the two from the Sofia prison on a bail of BGN 50 000 each.

Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov aka the "Galevi brothers" are walking out of jail after both were allowed to run for parliamentary seats and thus receiving immunity from prosecution.

"Morals in Bulgaria's politics don't matter at all and it has been so for a long time," Plamen Galev says in the interview, when asked if it was decent for them to run for MPs after being charged with serious crimes.

"It would not be moral, if our participation in the election was a lawyer's trick, but we want to enter politics to contribute to the progress of the Dupnitsa municipality," Galev adds.

When asked of they believed they would be able to change anything in the Parliament, Galev replies they had no intention to interfere with the country's rule, adding the laws were not written by just one MP and the responsibility for the State fell on political parties.

Hristov, on his part, says that the party whose ticket he is running on was a new formation and a new beginning was much needed in the country.

The two decline to answer directly if they believe that would be elected, but say they have done a lot for Dupnitsa and people there, who knew them, could not be manipulated.

Both are adamant the racketeering charges against them were unfounded.

Galev further says that he read books the entire time he was behind bars and jokes they watched what they ate in order not to gain weight.

Hristov is the only Kyustendil candidate of the Party for Liberal Alternative and Peace PLAM (FLAME) and its majority candidate in the city of Pernik. His registration documents were submitted on June 12 with the Regional Electoral Commission in Kyustendil.

On June 10, the Regional Electoral Commission confirmed that Galev had been registered to run in the upcoming general elections.

Galev and Hristov have been investigated over a long period of time for various crimes in the southwest town of Dupnitsa, most notably racketeering and organized crime.

The Sofia City Prosecutor recently officially moved the case against the Galevi brothers to the Sofia City Court and the two are charged with running an organized criminal group.

However, as official MP candidates, they receive immunity from prosecution and the Court will not be able to set a date for the trial.