site.btaDemocratic Bulgaria to Take Steps Aiming to Dismantle Counter-Corruption Commission

Atanas Atanasov, co-chair of Democratic Bulgaria and MP from the Continue the Change- Democratic Bulgaria (CC–DB), said on Friday that the coalition will take steps to close the counter-corruption commission.

Speaking to journalists in the halls of Parliament, Atanasov said the commission operates according to political interests and serves as a tool for settling of political scores. In his view, the commission primarily targets opposition figures who are inconvenient for the ruling majority.

"There are many other bodies that should be fighting corruption — the economic and criminal police, the prosecution, and the State Agency for National Security," Atanasov noted.

Fellow MP Atanas Slavov added that all legal safeguards meant to prevent the CPC from being used as a tool for political repression were dismantled by the Constitutional Court and the parliamentary majority.

"The CPC has become the extended right hand of Delyan Peevski," said MP Ivaylo Mirchev. He accused the commission’s head of targeting elected mayors and MPs, usually from CC-DB, in politically motivated actions.