With a final decision, the Supreme Court of Cassation upheld the verdict against the former head of the “Traffic Police“ in Blagoevgrad, Danail Stoitsov. The case is for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, as well as for systematic violation of official duties in order to benefit commercial companies - actions that led to significant damage to the state, bTV indicated.
Since 2016, Stoitsov has held the position of chief inspector and head of the “Traffic Police“ sector at the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Blagoevgrad. His portfolio included the organization and control of road safety, as well as responsibility for official vehicles and equipment.
Pistol in the office
Between March and May 22, 2018, he illegally kept a “Makarov“ pistol and 43 cartridges in his office. The weapon was owned by a private individual and was stored in violation of the law - a fact that the court accepted as proven.
In parallel, in the period February-May 2018, Stoitsov ordered police escorts of heavy-duty and oversized vehicles on the republican and municipal road network in the region. The escorts were provided without the mandatory permits from the “Road Infrastructure“ Agency and the municipalities, without paid fees and without contracts. For this purpose, road patrols were diverted from their main job - traffic control.
According to the court, these actions brought benefits to private companies at the expense of the state and caused material and non-material damage to the RIA and the Ministry of Interior, including undermining the authority of the control bodies.
Stoitsov was acquitted on the charge of demanding and accepting money in connection with the issuance of license plates. The court accepted that this part was a serious disciplinary violation, not a proven bribe. The prosecutor's office protested the acquittal, but without success.
The Sofia Court of Appeal, and now the Supreme Court of Cassation, upheld the verdict of the District Court - Blagoevgrad: two years of imprisonment, suspended with a three-year probationary period. In addition, Stoitsov was disciplinary dismissed, and his employment with the Ministry of Interior was terminated.