The criminal case against former We Continue the Change lawmaker Lena Borislavova is not over. Prosecutors have appealed the acquittal issued last year by the Sofia District Court, and the Sofia City Court has scheduled the case before the second instance for October 2.
Borislavova was charged in the so-called “Coralgate” case, which concerns the release of former We Continue the Change leader Kiril Petkov from the association “Let’s Preserve Coral” in 2021. The investigation followed a complaint by the association’s chairman, Atanas Rusev. He alleged that Borislavova had submitted to the Registry Agency a power of attorney and other documents bearing his forged signature.
The documents included a power of attorney prepared in Rusev’s name and minutes from an association meeting. Prosecutors allege that their purpose was to remove Kiril Petkov in time from the association’s management board so he could become economy minister in the first caretaker government of Rumen Radev.
According to the charges, Borislavova used false documents on two occasions, presenting them as if they had been signed by members of “Let’s Preserve Coral.” Atanas Rusev filed his complaint two years after the alleged actions. At the time, he said he had not believed he could receive a fair investigation earlier, while Kiril Petkov was prime minister or part of the government.
Petkov responded that the complaint was a smear campaign and that Rusev had turned against him after Petkov submitted a list of 19 names to prosecutors. The list included Rumen Nikolov, known as Pasha. Rusev knew Nikolov and had called him to demand an explanation for being included on the list.
During the proceedings before the Sofia District Court, Lena Borislavova said she had committed no crime. She stated that everyone in the association working to protect the beach had known that Kiril Petkov had left in order to become a minister.
Borislavova also explained that she kept her electronic signature on her desk with its password written next to it, meaning that anyone could potentially have used it. In her view, there was no reason to prepare false documents for Petkov’s departure because Article 13 of the statutes of “Let’s Preserve Coral” allowed membership to end with a resignation statement, without the consent or decision of anyone else.
She further argued that membership in the association was not connected with the exercise of governmental authority or control over financial resources.
The acquittal and the reasoning written by Judge Daniela Tosheva were never published. The proceedings before the Sofia City Court will be heard by a panel chaired and led by Judge Miroslava Todorova.
Meanwhile, Lena Borislavova has left active politics. Several months ago, she announced the creation of a new civic organization, the Institute for Judicial Monitoring, where she serves as director.
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10950 | 31 Aug. 2026 | 16:15
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