The Bulgarian state has been sentenced to pay BGN 50 000 (approximately EUR 25 000) in compensation to the family of businessman Todor Todorov, who was killed during a police operation back in 2003.

The Bulgarian government will also have to pay EUR 5 000 worth in court costs, the bTV channel informs.

In November 2012, the European Court of Human Rights found Bulgaria guilty of failing to protect Todorov's right to live. He was a convict who was killed in a police operation, led by then police Chief Secretary and former Bulgarian Prime Minister (2009-2013), Boyko Borisov.

In 2003, Todorov was to be detained to serve 6 months in prison for giving premises belonging to him to be used as а brothel. The suspect, however, refused to surrender to the police, and instead barricaded himself in a villa near the southern Bulgarian town of Harmanli.

In the much-publicized police operation, led by Borisov, numerous heavily armed officers besieged Todorov's house. Police and special units even used a grenade launcher against the house and caused a fire, which eventually resulted in the convict's death.

In its decision, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg determined that Bulgarian police had used inordinately excessive force against the convict and did not respect his right to live.

Police knew that Todorov was alone in the house. However, the operation included 55 regular police officers, 30 people from a special counter-terrorism unit, 19 border police officers, 3 psychologists and, at police chief secretary Borisov himself.

The official police version was that Todorov ” blew himself” up with a hand grenade.

Boyko Borisov and his center-right GERB government resigned amid massive protests triggered by corruption and poverty in February. Snap elections are to take place on May 12.

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