German authorities are investigating a report of the alleged rape of a 24-year-old Bulgarian student in Berlin. The man named in the report is an employee of the Bulgarian embassy and at the same time a cleric in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church community in the German capital.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it was informed of the case. The department announced that the Bulgarian embassy is in direct contact with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany and is providing the necessary assistance within the framework of its powers.
The employee himself waived his functional immunity, which was confirmed by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this should facilitate procedural actions and clarification of the circumstances. The department refuses to comment on the case in substance, so as not to hinder the actions of the German authorities.
No official confirmation of a crime
The Western and Central European Metropolis stated that it does not have officially confirmed information from a German court or other competent authority that would establish that rape has been committed. They called for the serious accusation not to be presented as a proven fact before the completion of the investigation.
“Every actual crime must be investigated, and every accused has the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence“, the metropolis stated.The church institution also claims that before the signal there was a financial dispute between the employee and the woman. According to the information provided by the metropolis, bank transfers show that the woman owes him 5,000 euros. They admit that there may have been an attempt at extortion, but emphasize that this version must also be verified in accordance with the established procedure.
Different versions of the case
The BOEC Association claims that the alleged assault took place in the building of the Bulgarian embassy and accuses the Bulgarian authorities of trying to cover up the case. These allegations have not been officially confirmed by the German investigative authorities or the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the moment, there is no information about any charges or court decisions. Both the report of a sexual crime and the allegations of a financial dispute and a possible attempt at extortion are being verified. The final assessment of the facts and evidence is the responsibility of the German authorities.
Sources: nova.bg, bnrnews.bg, vesti.bg