I am bitter about the decision of my colleagues. I do not know them personally, I do not know what prompted them. You cannot escape responsibility when you are a judge. This was stated by former Justice Minister Anton Stankov on bTV regarding the three judges appointed to review the preventive detention measure of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, who recused themselves.
„Let's not have any illusions – The court is depoliticized to the extent that judges do not have the right to participate in a party, but the court participates in the governance of the state and is part of politics. It is not right to take them away, that is their job," he reminded, quoted by novini.bg.
Regarding Diyan Nikolov's testimony in the case, he specified: "There is criminal liability for perjury. If the gentleman in question did it, he should bear responsibility or at least explain what the circumstances are that made him retract his testimony. There is no such retraction in Bulgarian law. He has been warned, he knows what he is talking about."
"We are dispensing justice through preventive measures. This man has been punished in advance," he also commented on Kotsev's arrest.