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Judge Andon Mitalov
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) received a letter from the State Department (MFA) in March with confidential information from representatives of the United States Department of State in the case of Judge Andon Mitalov of the Specialized Criminal Court.
This was announced by SJC representative Boyan Magdalinchev on Tuesday.
Judge Andon Mitalov
In early February, the magistrate was barred from entering the United States for corrupt behavior. On February 5, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Judge Mitalov as the first Bulgarian to be sanctioned by Washington for corruption.
The SJC then decided to ask the prosecutor’s office, the anti-corruption commission (KPKONPI) and the State Department for all possible data on Mitalov.
The head of the specialized court, Marieta Raykova, also requested information from the prosecutor’s office.
“We received a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is marked as ‘Confidential’, so I will not disclose its content,” Boyan Magdalinchev added on Tuesday.
The materials were handed over to SJC Judicial Board President Lozan Panov and the disciplinary panel of the staff, which is considering the request of Minister of Justice Danail Kirilov for Mitalov’s dismissal.
The letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also addressed to Boyan Magdalichnev.
He clarified that the disciplinary proceedings against the judge have not yet been completed because the panel was gathering evidence.
It was formed on February 18 of this year. Seven of the staff were “for” and four “against”. The disciplinary case is being carried out against Andon Mitalov for damaging the prestige of the judiciary and for breach of official duties.
The judge’s ban on entering the United States came just four months after he allowed Russia’s leader Nikolai Malinov to travel to Moscow. Malinov is accused of spying for Russia.
However, in early November, a judge allowed him a three-day visit to the Russian capital without the prosecution ruling on the request, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Malinov went to Moscow to receive an order from Vladimir Putin. Due to Mitalov’s permission, former Chief Prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov referred the Inspection to the SJC. After a preliminary investigation, the inspectors concluded that there was no reason to initiate an inspection because they found no violation in the organization of the training and progress of the case.
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