site.btaDemocratic Bulgaria Insists on Immediate Hearing of Acting Prosecutor General Sarafov

Democratic Bulgaria submitted a request to the National Assembly for a hearing of acting Chief Prosecutor Borislav Sarafov in the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, the press centre of the Movement Yes Bulgaria party said on Wednesday. The coalition emphasizes the need for transparency and public accountability for the activities of the prosecution in several key cases that directly affect citizens' trust in the justice system.

Important and unresolved cases must be examined during the hearing. Among them is the investigation into the “Eight Dwarfs,” involving former investigator Petyo "the Euro" Petrov and other officials, on which the prosecution has not yet provided a public report, despite the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry committee. Another critical issue is the unregulated influence on the judicial system through the criminal network linked to the late Martin "the Notary" Bozhanov, on which there is also a lack of public information about the actions taken. 

The large-scale operation against the smuggling channel in Plovdiv, during which over 1.8 million packs of illegal cigarettes were seized, will also be discussed. No less important is the case involving over 150 companies linked to Hristo Kovachki, which, according to the Anti-Corruption Fund, are involved in tax evasion and abuse of energy subsidies, without the prosecution having provided any public information on the measures taken, the statement said.

Democratic Bulgaria's request is based on serious evidence of systematic inaction and delays by the prosecution in key cases, which jeopardizes the rule of law and trust in the judicial system. The party points out that, according to its rules, the National Assembly is obliged to organize such hearings at least once every three months, but this has not been done since the start of the 51st National Assembly.

The coalition insists that the meeting be public and that Sarafov provide access to all necessary materials and documents, including those with procedural restrictions, in order to ensure full transparency and accountability to the public.