Fri, Feb 10 2012
On September 24, Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation held its first hearing on the appeal in the case of two-time ice skating world champion Maxim Staviski, who caused a fatal car incident in summer 2007 near Sozopol. A ruling would be issued within 30 days, the court said.
The appeal was lodged by the Bourgas Appeal Prosecutor's Office and the relatives of the victims of the car, who want the sentence overturned and a re-trial. Earlier this year, Staviski was found guilty on charges of drunk driving and received a suspended sentence of two years and six months and a five-year probation period.
Staviski crashed his Hummer vehicle, causing the death of a young man and severe injuries to 19-year-old Manuela Gorsova, who is still in coma. He was sentenced to pay 90 000 leva non-material damages and 4815 leva in material damages to the parents of the man who died.
After the hearing, Staviski told reporters that he did not drive a car in Russia, where he is currently residing, Bulgarian-language daily Dnevnik reported. He has had his driving license suspended and denied that he was the person caught on camera, clips of whom were posted on Russian video sharing websites and caused an uproar in Bulgarian media, given the resemblance of the man to Staviski.
Staviski was internationally famous and had made Bulgaria popular. These were reasons to spare him jail, said prosecutors.
Bulgarian Cabinet is looking at domestic market to refinance foreign debt, but has back-up plan in place
Government and individuals come up with cash to help those hard-hit by floods and freezing weather.
The discovery was made after some of the land in a complex near Bourgas was washed away by rough seas.
No trains could cross the Danube Bridge and passengers from international trains were being taken to the city of Rousse by road transport.
Hazardous weather warnings across the country on February 9, new record-low temperatures, and three people reported frozen to death in Pernik.