The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has dismissed Sofia deputy prosecutor of appeals Nikolai Ganchev for lowering the prestige of the judiciary, Bulgarian news agency BTA reported on December 13.

This happened after more than two weeks of SJC discussions of Ganchev's conduct, BTA said.

Eighteen members of the council voted in favour of firing Ganchev, three against and three abstained. The council decision is subject to appeal in the Supreme Administrative Court. 

Ganchev's dismissal was requested about a year and a half ago by Prosecutor-General Boris Velchev after it emerged that in 2004 Ganchev and Rousse district prosecutor Lyulin Matev had contacts with businessman Iliyan Penev, who had a criminal record, BTA said.