site.btaMan Placed under House Arrest for Threatening Life of Parliament Chair

Sofia, September 6 (BTA) - The Sofia District Court Monday placed under house arrest Lyubomir Yakov, 26, who was detained on September 3 over a threat on the life of National Assembly Chair Iva Miteva, prosecutor Georgi Ivanov said. Earlier in the day, the District Prosecution Office in Sofia demanded that Yakov, who has a criminal record, remain in custody.

A signal for a threat on Miteva's life was submitted at 11.40 am on September 2 via an e-mail in the Justice Ministry. Approached for comment, Miteva described as strange that the threat was received on the same day there were strong disputes over changes to the National Service for Protection Act, which focused on reducing security privileges to government officials.

On September 3, Toshko Yordanov, the floor leader of Miteva's parliamentary group, There Is Such a People (TISP), called the matter "an extremely repugnant political demonstration." TISP leader Slavi Trifonov noted in a lengthy Facebook post, aimed against GERB, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and the Bulgarian Socialist Party, that the timing is definitely no coincidence. The Sofia Prosecutor's Office, after getting acquainted with media reports on the matter, initiated investigative proceedings on the matter.

/DS/