Milen Tsvetkov's family has issued its first reaction after the conditional early release of Kristian Nikolov. The Sofia City Court ruled that Nikolov be released with probation measures, but the decision is not final.
“The loss of the father of my children is incurable“, states the ex-wife of the journalist Dana Nacheva in a statement to the media. She points out that she cannot comment on the court decision, as the law allows a convicted person to request conditional early release upon fulfillment of certain conditions.
Nacheva emphasizes that her hope is that the laws will be respected by everyone without exception. The position also states: “People like Kristian Nikolov are a product of our society, in which we accept that driving under the influence of drugs is normal“.
The Prosecutor's Office will appeal
The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office will file a protest with the Sofia Court of Appeal against the city court's ruling. The prosecutor's office does not share the conclusion that there is sufficient evidence for Nikolov's reformation, and will request that the decision be overturned.
Kristian Nikolov is serving a nine-year sentence for the accident that killed Milen Tsvetkov. He had about two years of his sentence left until his release, bTV reported. In the courtroom, Nikolov stated that he had admitted his guilt, had started working from the first day in prison, and wanted the opportunity to be useful to society.
The accident occurred in 2020.
The incident occurred on April 19, 2020. At the intersection of the capital's "Cherni Vrah" Boulevard and "Henrih Ibsen" Street, Nikolov's car hit the car of Milen Tsvetkov from behind, who was waiting at a red light. The investigation found that the driver was under the influence of drugs.
The Supreme Court of Cassation finally sentenced Nikolov to nine years in prison in 2023. Tsvetkov's family points out that it was not driven by a desire for the convicted person to remain in prison as long as possible, but by the belief that there should be justice and that the law should apply equally to everyone.
The next development in the case depends on the ruling of the Sofia Court of Appeal on the prosecutor's protest.