site.btaVarna Appellate Court Passes Effective Sentence on Veselin Mareshki for Extortion

Varna, on the Black Sea, September 14 (BTA) - The Varna
Appellate Court (VAC) passed effective sentences on the leader
of the Volya party and Deputy Chair of the National Assembly,
Veselin Mareshki, and Krassimira Koleva for racketeering and
extortion, Mareshki's press service said.

The VAC partially overturned the first-instance acquittal of the
 two defendants. The court sentenced Mareshki to 4 years
imprisonment under a general regime and a fine of 8,000 leva.
Koleva was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison under a
general regime, as well as a fine of 6,000 leva.

According to the indictment, in the period between October 9 and
 November 16, 2014, Mareshki and Koleva extorted businessman
Asen Milanov, who had to pay them a rent of 10,000 leva for his
pizzeria in Varna. The he property in question however was not
in fact theirs. Milanov already had a lease with Tony D., with
whom he had a contractual relationship.

Asen Milanov was Krassimira Koleva's ex-husband. The prosecution
 alleged that after the businesswoman failed to regain her
property in court, she sought assistance from Veselin Mareshki.

The prosecution explained Mareshki's intervention by the fact
that Krassimira Koleva owed 65,000 leva to his wife. According
to the indictment, he got involved in order to get his money
back.

After Milanov refused to pay rent to the two defendants, they
retaliated. They filed complaints and initiated inspections of
the legality of an external structure, which increased the area
of the establishment, and these actions led to the structure's
demolition.

Asen Milanov turned for help to the leader of Vazrazhdane and
Varna municipal councilor, Kostadin Kostadinov. Milanov hoped
that Kostadinov could help him resolve the conflict with
Mareshki.

On October 15, 2014, after an argument ensued on the street,
Volya leader Mareshki resorted to violence and was detained by
police for hitting Kostadinov

The case against Mareshki and Koleva has been going on for six
years now.

The reasons for the VAC sentence will be published within the
statutory two-month period.

The decision for criminal violation is subject to cassation
review. NV/DT