The head of the Bulgarian Socialists’ Delegation in the EP, Kristian Vigenin, raised serious concerns about the transparency and legality of the procedure for the election of a new Prosecutor General of the Republic of Bulgaria. He is as a member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in a letter to the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Michael McGrath.

“These issues not only undermine the rule of law and the credibility of the judiciary in the country, but also deepen the widespread public distrust towards the only candidate for the position and so far acting Prosecutor General – Borislav Sarafov,” Vigenin points out in his letter.

He points to the way out of the situation: ‘A legal, transparent and competitive process under the leadership of a newly formed Supreme Judicial Council is the only way to protect justice and the rule of law in Bulgaria. The current development of the procedure looks like an attempt by shady oligarchic interests to establish control over the prosecution for another seven years.”

Kristian Vigenin calls on Mr McGrath and his team to monitor this process within their powers.

The current situation poses a threat to justice and democracy in Bulgaria and we must resist!”, Vigenin concludes his letter.

The MEP’s letter is a follow-up of a conversation with McGarth when the Commissioner asked Vigenin for additional information on the procedure for the election of a new prosecutor general of the Republic of Bulgaria.