Bulgarian court calls for ex-governor's extradition

Bulgarian justice officials want their Government to seek the extradition of a former regional governor who fled to Auckland after being shot.

Dobrin Mitev, former governor of Varna, a port on the Black Sea, was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail by a court last year while he was living in Auckland, according to Bulgarian state news agency BTA.

Varna District Court spokeswoman Elena Bhanghieva said the court wanted the Government to demand the extradition of Mr Mitev, the Bulgarian News Network reports.

Mr Mitev was the governor between 1997 and 2000, but stepped down when the city's shipyards closed. The court sentenced him to five years in jail after a jury found him guilty on three charges or misappropriating state-owned land and real estate. Mr Mitev was first charged in 2002, but proceedings dragged on for months as courts continually returned the case for re-investigation.

The verdict was delivered eight months after Mr Mitev had fled to New Zealand, while on bail of 1000 leva ($940).

In 2002, Mr Mitev was shot in the leg by an unknown gunman in the capital of Sofia. News reports at the time linked the shooting to the sale of a Black Sea resort.

A spokeswoman for the Immigration Service said Mr Mitev was lawfully in the country. She said the service was continuing an investigation begun into Mr Mitev last year.

"We are seeking more information from Bulgaria."

The Immigration Service had never sought to have Mr Mitev arrested.

"There is no more we can say until the investigation is complete" she said.

A police spokesman said that no application had been made through Interpol for the extradition of Mr Mitev.

- NZPA