The Lovech District Court did not accept the appeal of the head of the Fifth District Department in Sofia Plamen Maximov, who was detained on Friday, together with two other employees, against his arrest for a period of up to 72 hours.
The three, together with four other detainees, are charged with participating in an organized criminal group for drug distribution, bribery and arson.
The court postponed on Monday morning the case for the permanent measure of detention requested by the prosecutor's office for the considered ringleader of the group, Rosen Krastev- "The Glazier".
During the consideration of the appeal of Plamen Maksimov against his detention for a period of up to 72 hours, the prosecutor in the case said that his request was admissible, but should be disregarded because it had no legal arguments. The accused head of the Feleventh district administration in the capital asked the court to be released from custody, as he has to take care of his sick parents, and his daughter is about to undergo a secondserious operation. Minutes later, he collapsed in the courtroom and had to be given first aid by court security officers, and later an emergency team arrived. Ultimately, the court dismissed his appeal. Maksimov's lawyer Martin Kantarevsaid that he is innocent and that they will appeal the decision of the Loveshki Court:
"The prosecutor's assumption that my client, in his capacity as head of the Fifth District, may be a participant in an organized criminal group related to the distribution of drugs throughout the country, is illogical. Rather, I believe that his arrest and the request for permanent detention are pursuing some political goal."
During the hearing, prosecutor Valentin VVYkov said that oneof the detainees had attempted suicide in the pre-trial detention center.
The prosecutor's office also filed a request with the court for a permanent measure of detention for the group's alleged ringleader, Posen Krastev, nicknamed "Styklarya". However, the case was postponed until this morning due to the absence of the accused's defense attorney. The prosecutor's office will file a request for a permanent measure of detention "detention in custody" for the remaining six detainees in the case. Their measures will also be reviewed today.