Nikolai Tsonev

Nikolay Georgiev Tsonev (Bulgarian: Николай Георгиев Цонев; born 9 June 1956) is a Bulgarian officer, entrepreneur and politician from the National Movement for Stability and Progress after 2012 - from party New alternative. From 2008 to 2009 he was Minister of Defense.

Biography

Nikolay Tsonev was born on June 9, 1956 in Pernik. He graduated National Military Artillery School "Georgi Dimitrov" specialty "flak" from 1978 is an officer in the Bulgarian People's Army. During the 1986-1989 year studying at the Soviet military academy in Kiev. In 1992 dismissed from the army.

In subsequent years Tsonev participate in the management of several companies, including producer of bread "Nilana." In 1996 he graduated in accounting from the University of National and World Economy, and in 2005 - philosophy at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski".

From 1999 to 2000 Nikolay Tsonev headed "Management of supply" in the Ministry of Defence. In 2001 he became an adviser to Defence Minister Nikolay Svinarov and in 2002 headed the agency for social activities to the ministry. On April 24, 2008 was appointed defense minister in the government of Sergei Stanishev and held that post until a change of Cabinet of 27 July 2009.

On June 24, 2012, the Constituent Assembly GOP "New Alternative" was elected chairman of the party. The party is centrist orientation and professed patriotic liberal ideas.

Allegations and cases

In the months following the end of his tenure as defense minister Nikolay Tsonev is being investigated for abuses during his rule of the Ministry of Defence. On April 1, 2010 spectacular was arrested and charged with offering a bribe to an investigator at the time of his arrest deputy city prosecutor Roman Vasilev called Tsonev "absolute criminal".On October 28, 2012 was acquitted by Sofia City Court on that charge.

On June 1, 2012 Tsonev was acquitted by the Supreme Court in another case - to conclude a four unprofitable transactions in 1999 when the head of "Management of supply" in the Ministry of Defence.

Tsonev was tried and acquitted in four cases such as one of charges of attempting to bribe a magistrate.^[1] This has been cited as a key case of evidence of general corruption in Bulgaria's economy.^[2] and in August 2015 ordered the prosecution of second instance to pay him compensation amounting to 15 thousand Bulgarian lev.

Sources

1. ↑ Sofia Globe article on Tsonev's aquittal
2. ↑ Nationas in Transition: Democratization from Central Europe to Eurasia, p. 175.

Sources

• announcement of appointment as defense minister