On November 26 2007, Rousse regional court issued the sentences in one of the first trials over forged notary deed for the acquisition of property and PHARE programme drainage.

Four people were defendants in the trial, investor.bg said. They were charged with 53 indictments.

Most of the indictments, 43, were against Yulian Spasov, former leader of the youth organisation of Union of Democratic Forces in Rouse.

The other defendants were Spasov’s father, grandfather and partner.

Spasov was sentenced to six years imprisonment, a two-year ban on business activities and a fine of 7400 leva.

Spasov’s partner Emil Karakashev and his grandfather Ivan Mihailov were sentenced to three years deferred sentence with a five year trial period and confiscation of respectively one quarter and half of their property.

Sasho Spasov, Yulian Spasov’s father, was fined 1500 leva.

The investigation collected 25 volumes of documentation on the case, including documents from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The documents proved that Yulian Spasov embezzled 20 000 euro from the PHARE Access programme. He accounted for the sum with fake invoices.

The four defendants forged notary deeds to acquire some of the most beautiful buildings in Rouse. The buildings were worth more than 800 000 leva, at property market prices from 2002.

After the court hearing Prosecutor Kremena Kolitsova said that she would appeal the sentences. The defendants also intended to appeal the convictions, investor.bg said.