site.btaLom Residents Demand Mayor's Resignation after Vote-Buying Charges

Residents of Lom protested Wednesday in front of the local municipality building demanding the resignation of Mayor Tsvetan Petrov after the Appellate Prosecution Office in Sofia Tuesday announced that charges had been brought against Petrov for vote buying at the last parliamentary election in April.

Protest organizer Boyan Belchev told BTA that the residents are outraged by Petrov and his deputy mayor Irena Dimova. Belchev stressed that the mayor is siphoning off funds from implemented projects and uses them to buy votes in the elections. He recalled that he had provided the police and the prosecution with recordings incriminating Petrov and demanded that the mayor be convicted.

Protesters also stressed that they were unhappy with the lack of jobs in Lom, feeling forced to work unskilled jobs abroad to support their children.

Mayor Tsvetan Petrov said he would not make any statements to the media until the pre-trial proceedings are over.