Prosecution Office assigns security to businessman Vassil Bojkov and his family, lawyer says

The Prosecution Office has appointed a security detail to protect former oligarch Vassil Bojkov and his family, Bojkov's lawyer, Georgi Gatev, said on Wednesday. He was speaking to the press after his client was questioned in a bribery case.

“That was assigned in connection with a request made by Bojkov some time ago when he wanted to testify in the case,” Gatev explained, adding that the security detail will be provided by the Chief Directorate Security or the Interior Ministry. "He is not afraid, but he has concerns," the lawyer noted.

Bojkov was questioned on Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with a case opened in 2021 over the businessman's allegations that he was forced to pay a 20% cut of his business earnings, amounting to some BGN 60 million in total, to then Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov. When a new government came to power - for a short stint - later in 2021, Borissov and Goranov were briefly arrested over Bojkov's allegations but were promptly released and a court subsequently ruled that their detention had been unlawful.

Gatev said that more questioning of "those involved in the case" could take place now.

He pointed out that at this moment there is no reason to question the objectivity of the investigation and the way it is being conducted. "From my point of view, at this stage it is being conducted objectively and comprehensively," the lawyer said.

On 26 August, the court remanded Bozhkov in custody over one of the cases against him related to his business. A day earlier, he returned to Bulgaria from Dubai and was detained at Sofia Airport.

Gatev argued that his client has grounds to request his release.