The Legal Circus: Emilia Maslarova vs. The Prosecutor’s Office
Ah, legal battles! They’re often likened to watching paint dry, except this paint is a very complicated shade of bureaucratic red tape and sprinkled with the occasional dash of indignation. Emilia Maslarova, former minister of labor and social policy, recently took the prosecutor’s office to court and walked away with a compensation award of BGN 70,000. Seems like court might just be the newest Olympic sport; it’s slow, painfully complex, and only the rich can afford to play!
Maslarova wasn’t just sitting on her laurels while the prosecutor’s office was busy conducting a trial that felt longer than a “Lord of the Rings” marathon. Oh no! She filed a lawsuit for BGN 100,000 over the alleged “golden renovation” of the Center for Complex Social Services in Stara Zagora, where accusations of embezzlement were about as common as bad coffee in a waiting room. Eleven years of legal hell later, she’s finally emerged victorious, and let’s be honest, the prosecutor’s office is probably rolling its collective eyes saying, “Well, that escalated quickly!”
The Long, Winding Road of Justice
The saga began back in 2010, a time when many things were just as complicated, yet somehow more straightforward—like texting your friends versus waiting for them to call you back. Maslarova’s indictment was a piece of work that managed to bewilder everyone, except maybe the judge, who noted the prosecution’s legal arguments were “unthinkable.” I mean, if I had a lev for every time I heard that phrase in court, I’d probably have enough to start my own legal fund!
Fast forward to 2015, when Maslarova and her fellow defendants were acquitted. Everything was peachy—until two years later, the appeals court decided that was too simple, and sent the case right back, because why not add a few more years of headache to a situation that was already complicated? Who doesn’t love a cliffhanger?
But in 2019, the saga—like an incredibly bad soap opera—finally came to an end when the case was dismissed. Yet, wait! The appeals court remanded it back again. At this point, I half expected the judge to hold up a sign reading, “To Be Continued…”
The Final Verdict and Still More Drama
Finally, in 2021, the appellate judges delivered a verdict that felt like a dropped mic: the termination order was upheld. If you’re confused by this legal limbo, don’t worry; you’re not alone. It’s like reading the instructions on an IKEA furniture box—completely convoluted and often leads to the same feeling of wanting to throw it all out the window!
Three years later, after pulling off what can only be described as a legal magic trick, Maslarova demanded compensation from the state under the Law on the Liability of the State and Municipalities for Damages. To the surprise of absolutely no one, the court ruled in her favor, calling for BGN 61,000 plus some change for property damage and lost profits. Bravo! I mean, if we’re handing out money for the stress of a drawn-out legal battle, I’ll take a check while we’re at it!
The European Court of Human Rights—Because Why Not?
And just in case you thought the comedy was ending there, Maslarova also racked up another win against the state five years ago at the European Court of Human Rights, walking away with an additional 8,000 euros for comments against her. That’s right, not only does she get compensation, but she’s also the reigning champion of “Embattled Politician Bingo.”
So, what can we take away from this saga? Perhaps a couple of key lessons: never underestimate the power of a determined former minister and always keep an eye out for the unexpected twists and turns in the legal system. It’s like a never-ending episode of your favorite courtroom drama, just with slightly more paperwork and a lot fewer dramatic gavel bangs!
As they say, the law is a funny thing—sometimes it takes you for a laugh, other times it leaves you in tears. Best of luck to Emilia Maslarova; she’ll need it in this utterly theatrical yet terribly insightful game of ‘Who Can Sue Who?’
The former minister of labor and social policy, Emilia Maslarova, condemned the prosecutor’s office. The state prosecution must pay her compensation of BGN 70,000. This was announced by the legal portal Lex.bg
Maslarova filed a lawsuit against the prosecutor’s office for BGN 100,000 in compensation for non-property damages from the case against her and over BGN 12,000 in costs. The trial against her for the so-called “golden renovation” of the Center for Complex Social Services in Stara Zagora for over 11 million BGN lasted 11 years and was finally terminated. She was accused of embezzling the funds.
The indictment was submitted to the court in 2010, and at the end of 2015, the Sofia City Court (SHC) acquitted all the defendants, noting in its reasons that no expertise clearly showed how much money was spent, and the prosecution had prepared “unthinkable” legal construction. Two years later, the appeals court overturned the acquittals and returned the case to the prosecution.
The case was dismissed in 2019. The dismissal order was upheld by the SGC, but then remanded by the appeals court. Then the city court decided to return the case to the prosecutor’s office. Appeals by the defendants followed, however, and appellate judges put an end to the case in 2021 by upholding the termination order.
Three years later, Emilia Maslarova filed a lawsuit against the prosecutor’s office under the Law on the Liability of the State and Municipalities for Damages. The court ruled in favor of the former social minister. The SGS ordered Maslarova to receive BGN 61,000 in compensation. The prosecutor’s office must also pay her BGN 9,600 for property damage, as well as another BGN 2,990 for lost profits from the unused BGN 5,000 that she gave as a cash guarantee during the trial against her
The decision of the Sofia City Court is not final and is subject to appeal.
Five years ago, Emilia Maslarova also condemned the state in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to pay her compensation of 8,000 euros for comments against her.
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