News

  • Todorov v. Bulgaria

Mr. Popov represented Ivan Todorov who was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 1987, but was released in 1991. A few years after his release he moved to the United States.  In 2008 he visited Bulgaria, and was arrested in the Sofia airport and imprisoned to serve the remainder of his sentence. This case received a lot of news coverage throughout Bulgaria. In 2014, Mr. Popov obtained Mr. Todorov’s release.  Currently, Mr. Popov is seeking compensation from the Bulgarian government for Mr. Todorov’s imprisonment.

 

  • Vasilev v. Greece

Mr. Popov represented Alexander Vasilev, a Bulgarian citizen, and successfully sued the Greek government on his behalf. Mr. Vasilev appealed his life sentence in 2004.  The Greek court failed to set a date for a hearing until to 2007. Mr. Popov proved that the excessive length of the proceedings was unreasonable, his client was released and was able to recover damages.

 

  • Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church v. Bulgaria

This case was widely broadcasted in the media throughout Bulgaria. Mr. Popov represented several of the Bulgarian Orthodox Churches and its priests.  The Synod was unlawfully deprived of its property and its priests were denied their employment and compelled to accept the Patriarch’s leadership after introduction of the Religious Denominations Act of 2003. Mr. Popov successfully argued that this Act violated his client’s right to freedom of religion and helped them to recover damages.

 

  • Lautsi v. Italy

Ms. Soile Lautsi sued the Italian government claiming the appearance of crucifixes at her children’s school violated their rights. Mr. Popov intervened on behalf of Italian government at the European Court of Human Rights and argued that the crucifixes did not impose any religion on Ms. Lautsi or her children and did not violate any laws.  The European Court of Human Rights sided with the Italian government and Mr. Popov and allowed the Italian schools to continue displaying the crucifix.

 

  • Minev v. Bulgarian Supreme Judiciary Council (April, 2016)

Petko Minev was a military prosecutor in Plovdiv who won a competition to be appointed as a judge in Sofia District court. Later on, Supreme Judicial Council received an anonymous information regarding Mr. Minev’s moral qualities that make him unfit for the position. There were no specific facts or any proof that the information is truth. Nevertheless, Supreme Judicial Council denied his appointment and choose another candidate instead. Mr. Popov successfully argued to the Bulgarian Supreme Court that the Supreme Judicial Council’s decision to deny his appointment was without merit and illegal.  The Supreme Judicial Council’s decision was overturned.

 

  • Minev v. Bulgarian Supreme Judiciary Council (June, 2016)

Petko Minev was also offered a position of a prosecutor in Sofia District Цourt and his appointment was also denied by Supreme Judicial Council because of the anonymous information.  Mr. Popov argued in the Bulgarian Supreme Court on behalf of Mr. Minev again, and proved for the second time that the Supreme Judicial Council’s decision was illegal and that his client was eligible for the appointment.