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Sat, May 26 2012
Bulgarian police arrest singer in operation 'The Untouchables' by mistake
Krassimir Avramov during the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow on May 12 2009.
Singer and artist Krassimir Avramov was attacked by police officers in his home by mistake as part of the operation "The Untouchables" which saw 16 people detained in Sofia on April 15 2010 over alleged tax and VAT frauds.
Hours after the operation, Avramov told private national broadcaster Darik radio that policemen in full gear broke into his home in the early hours of April 15 2010. Avramov subsequently told private Nova Televisia what happened.
"It was early in the morning when I heard the front door being broken into. I thought that a robbery was taking place. I went down the stairs because I live in a big maisonette and as I was walking down I saw masked police officers marching in. They placed me on the floor with my hand cuffed behind my back and put one of my posters on my face so that I couldn't see what was going on.
I only managed to say my name and I heard one of the police officers say "hey, this is the singer". They put me on my feet and apologised for their mistake. It was very civilised," Avramov said.
He was later called by Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov who also apologised for police officers' mistake. "They must have got the wrong address," Avaramov said. He added that he could only be happy that his mother and his grandmother were not present in his home during the arrest because of the shock they would have suffered.
Avramov was Bulgaria's 2009 participant at the Eurovision song contest final in Moscow in May 2009 where he promptly exited at the semi-final stage.
The choice of Avramov and his song Illusion caused an uproar in Bulgaria and led to people asking for Avramov to be disqualified.
As in previous years, conspiracy theories started suggesting that the voting had been rigged and that Avramov had hardly looked surprised when he heard his name announced as the winner.
Many popular Bulgarian musicians also expressed their frustration at the choice of Avramov, given his live performance on February 21 2009. Some asked him to step down rather than bring shame to Bulgaria in Moscow which he refused to do.
Hours after the operation, Avramov told private national broadcaster Darik radio that policemen in full gear broke into his home in the early hours of April 15 2010. Avramov subsequently told private Nova Televisia what happened.
"It was early in the morning when I heard the front door being broken into. I thought that a robbery was taking place. I went down the stairs because I live in a big maisonette and as I was walking down I saw masked police officers marching in. They placed me on the floor with my hand cuffed behind my back and put one of my posters on my face so that I couldn't see what was going on.
I only managed to say my name and I heard one of the police officers say "hey, this is the singer". They put me on my feet and apologised for their mistake. It was very civilised," Avramov said.
He was later called by Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov who also apologised for police officers' mistake. "They must have got the wrong address," Avaramov said. He added that he could only be happy that his mother and his grandmother were not present in his home during the arrest because of the shock they would have suffered.
Avramov was Bulgaria's 2009 participant at the Eurovision song contest final in Moscow in May 2009 where he promptly exited at the semi-final stage.
The choice of Avramov and his song Illusion caused an uproar in Bulgaria and led to people asking for Avramov to be disqualified.
As in previous years, conspiracy theories started suggesting that the voting had been rigged and that Avramov had hardly looked surprised when he heard his name announced as the winner.
Many popular Bulgarian musicians also expressed their frustration at the choice of Avramov, given his live performance on February 21 2009. Some asked him to step down rather than bring shame to Bulgaria in Moscow which he refused to do.
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Ten people arrested in 'The Untouchables' police operation in Sofia
The alleged criminal group was well organised, with a strict hierarchy and dealt in money laundering and tax fraud in the field of energy.
Bulgaria amends Eurovision rules to avoid future controversy
BNT aims to end all doubts of the credibility of the procedure for selecting Bulgaria's representative in the Eurovision song contest
Bulgaria fails to make final cut at Eurovision 2009 in Moscow
Controversial singer Krassimir Avramov says he is disappointed but still glad to have taken part.
God decides who wins, Bulgarian Eurovision finalist says
Krassimir Avramov refuses to give up his place at the Eurovision final in Moscow
Yet another scandal at Bulgaria's Eurovision contest
The second-ranked artist together with a number of composers accuse the winner Krassimir Avramov of fixing the result of the text voting
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He sang the Eurovision song last year. They're probably paying him back for that. :)
He obviously did something wrong to be "mistaken" - why is a singer suddenly guilt free? How do police get a warrant for a wrong address? Never heard of that before.