The Sofia City Court has replaced the house arrest of tycoon Vasil Bozhkov with a cash bail. He will have to pay 130 000 leva (66 468 euro). He was charged with several offences, including unpaid taxes of half a billion leva (250 million euro) from gambling activities.

One of the court's arguments is that Bozhkov has already been under the second most severe detention order for eight months and that, as the case is already before the court, his ability to influence the investigation is limited. Moreover, the court's assessment is that there is no risk of the gambling mogul absconding or engaging in further criminal activity, as BNR court correspondent Silvia Velikova reports. 

Bozhkov himself has said that this action has nothing to do with the elections, while at the same time announcing his intention to head the "Centre" list for the European Parliament. In February, Bozhkov unveiled his new political initiative "Centre", which advocates the principles of the rule of law, democracy and cultural identity.