The Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) confirmed a decision of the Plovdiv Court of Appeal, awarding Brigadier General Dimitar Shivikov compensation of 76,694 euros for an illegal accusation. According to a publication by Defakto.bg, the officer was subjected to nearly 6 years of criminal prosecution on charges that he had damaged the army with 22,497 euros. By refusing cassation control, the supreme judges left the appeal decision in force, and the total amount that the prosecutor's office owes the general in all fabricated cases against him exceeds 204,500 euros.
The case before the SCC was initiated upon an appeal by the Appellate Prosecutor's Office - Plovdiv. The state prosecution has requested the annulment of the awarded compensation, as well as the awarded legal fees in the amount of 5,445 euros, defining them as “excessive”. However, the court is categorical that the amount is completely fair considering the non-pecuniary damages suffered.
The compensation disputed before the Supreme Court of Cassation is one of a total of three criminal proceedings that ended the career of the Bulgarian officer. The first charge was for official misconduct based on an anonymous tip. The prosecution alleged that Shivikov had committed 13 crimes by providing field equipment to the municipalities of Karlovo, Klisura, Kalofer and a local hunting society for various celebrations, without charging them rent. Among the absurd accusations were sending servicemen to help prepare food, helping to renovate an apartment, and withholding a soldier's driver's license for several days.
In this case, the general was brought in as a defendant five times. He was banned from traveling abroad, and his access to classified information was revoked. On July 19, 2018, Shivikov was found not guilty, and the acquittal entered into force in early 2021.
The Supreme Court of Cassation recognizes that the actions of the prosecutor's office led to the general's forced departure, which put an end to his almost 30-year impeccable career. “According to a forensic psychiatric examination, the criminal proceedings that began were unexpected for Sh. and in a short time, the main personal priorities were questioned and practically destroyed – his successful career and the respect of others“, is stated in the court's reasoning.
In parallel with the first proceedings, the Military District Prosecutor's Office - Sofia also initiated the notorious “blanket case“. It began after the end of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, when military prosecutors accused the brigadier general of embezzling blankets, winter sets, sports teams, balls, soldier's mugs and camping beds. It turned out that the property was intended for donation to orphanages in Bulgaria, and was not the property of the home army or NATO.
In an open court session, even the appellate prosecutor from Plovdiv Svetlozar Lazarov criticized the actions of his colleagues: “There is nothing to reason about. Morality and the law in this case are in a very cruel head-on collision. Brutal accusations have been raised. I responsibly declare, without worrying that this is a fake case.“ For this illegal accusation, Shivikov finally condemned the state prosecution for the amount of 40,903 euros.
The Supreme Court of Cassation established that a third case was also being conducted against Shivikov - for allowing soldiers to participate in military football championships, disrupting the rhythm of their physical training. It also ended in an acquittal.
In early 2026, Dimitar Shivikov also condemned the prosecution for his thwarted participation in a NATO mission. Although he was included in the group for the “Resolute Support“ operation in 2018 - 2019, he did not leave due to an unclean police registration, which the Ministry of Internal Affairs kept despite the lack of grounds. Due to the inaction of the institutions, he was compensated with a total of 32,580 euros for lost profits and non-pecuniary damages.
The total amount that taxpayers will have to pay through the prosecutor's office budget for the destruction of the general's career amounts to over 204,500 euros, not counting all accrued interest, legal costs and attorney's fees.