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The mobster brothers Krassimir and Nikolay Marinov aka "the Marguins" hate photo reporters when in court. Photo by BGNES
A defendant in Bulgaria's top trial against two alleged mobster brothers has been arrested after his refusal to turn up in court caused the hearing to misfire for yet another time.
Over the last two years several hearings have been postponed and rescheduled over the same reason - failure on the part of defendant Ivo Karageorgiev to turn up in the court room due to what has been described as a serious illness.
Prosecutors demanded on Wednesday that Karageorgiev, who is now out on a bail, be detained, a suggestion that infuriated the defendant's lawyer Lyubomir Vladimirov, who said his client “would die” if he is put behind bars.
“This is the first victory of the state against the further prolongation of the trial. Now Karageorgiev will have good reasons to get well sooner,” Sofia District Prosecutor Nikolay Kokinov commented after the arrest.
Prosecutors have failed so far to attract medical experts to make an assessment of the health condition of the defendant. Letters have been sent to the Alexandrovska hospital, the hospital of the Interior Ministry and the Military Medical Academy with a request to pick experts, but they are apparently boycotting the trial. In a bid to push through the trial, prosecutors even turned to the Health Minister, but to no avail.
The mobster brothers Krassimir and Nikolay Marinov aka "the Marguins" are considered two of the most influential underworld figures in Bulgaria.
The Marguins were arrested in October 2005 over the alleged plot to murder the businessman Nikola Damyanov, retired general Lyuben Gotsev and underworld boss Ivan Todorov, nicknamed Doktora (the Doctor).
Ivan Todorov was shot dead in broad daylight in central Sofia on February 22, 2007, while the other alleged target, Nikola Damyanov died of a sudden hearth attack on his way to the hospital in October 2007.
The Marguins are also charged with illegal ownership of guns, participation in organized crime, and money laundering.
Each of the brothers was released on BGN 20,000 bail at the beginning of December 2007. Before the bail the Marguins were kept under home arrest.
Bulgaria's Prosecutor's Office has charged alleged mafia boss Krasimir Marinov, aka "The Big Margiun" with ordering the murder of controversial journalist Bobi Tsankov.
Bulgaria's Interior Ministry special task teams have begun a raid of offices inside the building of the insurance company "Bul Ins" Tuesday evening, the Bulgarian information agency BGNES reports.
Sofia City Court postponed yet again the case against Bulgaria's mobster brothers, Krassimir and Nikolay Marinov, due to the poor health condition of another defendant in the same trial.
After two years of procrastination a Bulgarian court has given the go-ahead to the trial of Bulgaria's mobster brothers, Krassimir and Nikolay Marinov, only to hit a new snag.
Bulgaria's prosecutor's office has denied reports that it plans to turn to European Union experts in a bid to push through the trial of Bulgaria's mobster brothers, Krassimir and Nikolay Marinov.
Sofia City Court postponed once again the case against Bulgaria's mobster brothers, Krassimir and Nikolay Marinov, due to the poor health condition of another defendant in the same trial - Ivo Karageorgiev.
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