Sofia City Court held Monday the third hearing of case of Bulgaria's notorious Marinov brothers, Krassimir and Nikolay, dubbed the Marguins, who were charged with masterminding three murders.

At the last hearing defenders demanded for the prosecutor in the case, Nikolay Kokinov, to be dismissed, but their move failed.

Lawyers also pleaded for the case to be returned to the prosecution, but the court decided to open a trial and adjourned to July 17. Unlike the previous hearings, however, this time the court finally started the trial proceedings.

The Marinov brothers and several suspected accomplices have been accused of plotting the murder of businessman Nikola Damyanov, Lyubomir Gotsev, an officer working with the Security Services, and alleged underworld boss Ivan Todorov nicknamed Doktora.

The latter was murdered indeed, in a daylight shooting attack five months after the Marinov were seized.

The brothers were arrested in October 2005.

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