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Boiko Borisov (2020 in Brussels)
Photo: Olivier Matthys / dpa
Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov is free again.
24 hours after his arrest, he left the police headquarters in the capital Sofia on Friday evening, the media reported.
His arrest the night before was "brutal and outrageous," 62-year-old Borissov told reporters.
Supporters of his GERB party, who had gathered in front of the police headquarters, cheered.
Ex-Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov and Borisov's former media adviser Sevdalina Arnaudowa, who were also arrested the night before, were also released.
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The day after Borisov's arrest, the judiciary no longer linked his detention to a misuse of EU funds.
The public prosecutor's office in Sofia announced that the pre-trial investigation on suspicion of extortion is ongoing and excludes the competence of the EU public prosecutor's office.
This contradicts an original information from the Ministry of the Interior, which has since been removed from the website.
There were no specific allegations.
Note from Dubai
Finance Minister Assen Vasilev attributed Borisov's arrest to a tip-off by a Bulgarian gambling magnate living in exile in Dubai, against whom 18 charges have been brought in Bulgaria.
He accuses Borisov, ex-Finance Minister Goranov and Borisov's media adviser Arnaudowa of blackmail.
Borisov was Bulgaria's prime minister from 2009 to 2021, with a short break.
Just last Sunday, the 62-year-old was re-elected head of his conservative GERB party, which is currently the largest opposition force.
Demonstrators repeatedly accused Borisov of corrupt administration.
atb/dpa/AFP