The former mayor of the capital's district "Mladost" Desislava Ivancheva gave her first interview from prison to a team of the media "SEGA". She is serving a 6-year sentence for corruption in the prison in Sliven and stated that if she had been convicted of murder or drug trafficking, she would have been released early.
The interview took place in the prison dormitory "Ramanusha", located in a picturesque area at the foot of the Sliven Balkan, where Ivancheva has been housed since spring. The dormitory currently houses about 30 women sentenced to general confinement, who have the right to move freely within the enclosures.
Ivancheva explained that the transfer of the case for her release between courts actually deprived her of an attempt to request a new early release, since the period between the refusal and the new request is 6 months. "This is my tragedy", she defined this plot.
The former mayor also spoke about threats she received from other prisoners, and then was accused by the guards that "it was her own fault".
"We stopped illegal construction worth over 2 billion leva", said Ivancheva, defending her work as mayor. She called the action for her detention "custom-made" and expressed the opinion that the current chairman of the anti-corruption commission Anton Slavchev "should not remain head of the CPKONPI".
Regarding the assessment from the prison, which Vice President Iliana Yotova claims she is waiting for in order to make a decision on a possible pardon, Ivancheva commented: "It's like asking the head of the concentration camp for an opinion and he gives a positive opinion".
In the "Ramanusha" dormitory, the convicted women cultivate a vegetable garden and beds with herbs and spices, take care of lavender and roses. In the summer, they use the benches under the walnut tree in the garden for visits. According to Ivancheva, the only free people there are the dog Raina, the numerous cats and the employees.
The interview took place in the lobby of the dormitory, described as reminiscent of a communist-era student brigade with old furniture, mosaics and a specific smell.
Ivancheva is suing the Sliven prison, claiming that outpatient records were falsified and that the prison is draining the health insurance fund. She revealed details about the disciplinary punishments she received in prison and her problems with access to medical care.