site.btaCitizens Protest in Central Sofia Against Acting City Prosecutor Rusinova, Acting Prosecutor General Sarafov

Citizens gathered outside the Palace of Justice in Sofia on Tuesday to demand the launch of disciplinary proceedings against Emilia Rusinova and her dismissal as acting Sofia City Prosecutor. They also called for the resignation of acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov. The protest was organized by the Justice for All civic initiative under the slogan “Enough Hiding and Scheming in the Prosecuting Magistracy”.

“Sofia City Prosecutor Emilia Rusinova travelled in the same car as the wanted Petyo “The Euro” Petrov – the man who built the influence-peddling network within the judicial system known as The Eight Dwarfs. European Prosecutor Teodora Georgieva identifies Rusinova as the person who introduced her to The Euro. Meanwhile, the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office, led by Rusinova, took over from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime the case file related to Georgieva’s complaint, effectively placing itself in charge of investigating its own conduct,” the protest organizers wrote on Facebook.

On March 30, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev told the media that in 2021 Rusinova shared a car ride with Petyo "Peppi the Euro" Petrov to North Macedonia. According to information received at the Interior Ministry, Rusinova crossed the border repeatedly and was accompanied on these trips by four or five individuals who at times included Petrov.

On April 7, caretaker Justice Minister Andrey Yankulov submitted a request to the Supreme Judicial Council Prosecutors Chamber for the launch of disciplinary proceedings against Emilia Rusinova and her dismissal as acting Sofia City prosecutor.

Petrov, a former investigating magistrate, is a notorious power broker in a criminal network for influencing the Bulgarian judiciary known as "The Eight Dwarfs" and currently a fugitive from justice.

Rusinova was first linked to Petrov in a Nova TV interview in which Teodora Georgieva, who has been suspended as Bulgaria's European Prosecutor, said that Rusinova had arranged for her an appointment with Petrov.

Two videos leaked to the media in March 2025, reportedly recorded using a hidden camera at The Eight Dwarfs Restaurant, showed Petrov as telling another individual, alleged to be Georgieva: "Anyway, we consider it an important position. We have decided. You take it and so be it." He was apparently discussing Georgieva's appointment to the European Public Prosecutor's Office in 2020.

So far Georgieva has not denied the allegations and has not contested the legitimacy of the recordings.

In a personal position, Rusinova denied having arranged any appointments and links and argued that unverified allegations and insinuations were being disseminated against her with the sole purpose to discredit her.