The court case against double-world figure skating champion Maxim Staviski was suspended until January 30, the court in Bourgas ruled on January 10.

Staviski has been accused of causing the death of one man and severe injury to a second person in a road accident on August 5 2007. When breathalysed by the police, Staviski’s results came back positive.

The Bourgas Regional Court refused to enter a claim by representatives of Manuela Gorsova, who has been in coma since the accident. The claim was for two million leva in compensation for material and non-material damages caused, but it was rejected because, by law, in the case of an adult victim only the victim or a representative authorised by the victim can file a claim.

When giving his judgement, judge Plamen Hinkov said that Gorsova’s factual incapacity at the moment did not constitute juridical incapacity.

Prosecutor Svetlozar Kostov said the possibility of an appeal had been the reason for suspending the case. Kostov said he expected to get clarity at a later date. “I am not that surprised that the demand to appoint a special representative for Manuela Gorsova was not accepted because the law does not allow for her case,” Kostov told reporters.

The case of Gorsova was complicated by the fact that at the time of the accident she was a minor, but now she is an adult. She, therefore, could no longer be represented by her parents, nor, given her current circumstances, could she authorise a representative.

Staviski’s lawyer said the claim for compensation was the right of parents, but the amount was unheard of in Bulgarian legal practice.