Contributed by: Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation, Bulgaria National VAW Monitor

The Court of Appeals in Varna decided on a 2000 Leva bail for the 33-year-old Radko Petkov from Razdelna village, Varna region, who kidnapped his wife Stefka at the beginning of the previous week. The court has changed the "home detention" judgment given to Radko on his first arrest on May 8th this year. The appeal has taken into consideration the evidence gathered during the case proceedings which shows complicated relationship between the two spouses who had been separated for 6 months and are in the process of divorce. In December last year, an order for prompt protections under the Protection against Domestic Violence Law was issued. Despite the problems with his wife, the docker from Varna harbor took care of and financially supported his children.

In April, after he received the divorce papers, Radko renewed his attempts to meet and talk with his wife. The kidnapping happened after that. The judgment of Varna Court of Appeals cannot be appealed.

Compiled from: Bail for the Man Who Kidnapped his Wife, Dnesplus.bg, 13 May 2008.