5.  In 1991 part of the production facilities of the cooperative “Maritza” were spun off and the cooperative “Rodina” (“the cooperative”) was established. The applicant was appointed to be its executive officer. 6.  On unspecified dates, a tax audit was performed of the activities of the cooperative for the period from June 1991 to June 1992, which established that certain funds were missing. 7.  On 15 February 1993 a preliminary investigation was opened against the applicant for embezzlement and failure to exercise supervision over the activities of subordinates responsible for managing and accounting of funds, which resulted in the cooperative suffering losses in the amount of 14,587 old Bulgarian levs (approximately 918 German marks on that date). 8.  On 16 January, 9 April and 8 August 1994 the Plovdiv District Prosecutor's Office sent reminders to the investigator in charge of the case to conclude the investigation as quickly as possible because the period for its completion had long since expired. 9.  On 21 May 1997 the Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office requested the case file from the investigator, which it obtained on an unspecified date. It established that, in spite of the express instructions to that effect, absolutely no investigative procedures had been conducted in the case. The Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office remitted the case on 1 July 1997. 10.  Five witnesses were questioned on 22 and 23 February 2000. 11.  On 2 March 2000 the applicant was questioned and charged with embezzlement and failure to exercise supervision over the activities of subordinates responsible for managing and accounting of funds, which resulted in the cooperative suffering losses in the amount of 14,587 old Bulgarian levs (approximately 7 euros on that date). A restriction was also imposed on her not to leave her place of residence without the authorisation of the Prosecutor's Office. 12.  Another ten witnesses were questioned between 6 March and 16 April 2000, an accounting expert's report was commissioned on 22 May 2000 and the applicant was further questioned on 20 and 26 June 2000. 13.  The case file was then forwarded to the Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, which on 3 November 2000 remitted the case with instructions for further investigative procedures to be conducted. 14.  Another witness was questioned on 12 December 2000 and a supplementary accounting expert's report was commissioned on the 27th. 15.  On 12 April 2001 the charges against the applicant were amended and she was again questioned. 16.  On 19 February 2002 the Plovdiv District Prosecutor's Office requested the case file from the investigator, which it obtained on an unspecified date 17.  On 27 March 2002 the Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office again remitted the case with further instructions for concluding the investigation. 18.  On 16 April 2002 the cooperative joined the criminal proceedings against the applicant as a civil claimant. 19.  The findings of the investigation were presented to the applicant on 29 April 2002, which were then forwarded to the Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office on an unspecified date. 20.  In a decision of 11 May 2002 the Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor's Office terminated the criminal proceedings against the applicant due to lack of sufficient evidence of an offence.