Sofia Appellate Court orders resumption of Ivancheva compensation lawsuit

The Sofia Appellate Court has ordered the Sofia District Court to proceed with a compensation lawsuit filed by Desislava Ivancheva, the former mayor of the Mladost district, and her deputy, Bilyana Petrova. The lawsuit, initiated over three years ago, seeks 100,000 BGN in damages for each individual, alleging “cruel and humiliating treatment” during their previous judicial proceedings.

The case has faced significant procedural delays due to ongoing disputes regarding jurisdiction. After being moved between various courts and instances, the Plovdiv Appellate Court previously ruled that the Sofia District Court was the appropriate venue. Despite attempts by a district judge to split the claims or challenge the jurisdiction, the Sofia Appellate Court has now finalized the matter, stating that there are no grounds to continue the jurisdictional dispute. The ruling is not subject to further appeal, effectively mandating that the Sofia District Court resume the proceedings.