The Head of the Delegation of Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament, Kristian Vigenin, raised a sharp question to the European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi regarding possible external interference in the selection of a Bulgarian prosecutor for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). His inquiry was provoked by a leaked recording related to the former investigator Petyo Petrov, known as “Pepi the Euro.” Vigenin addressed the issue during the debate on the report for the work of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office for 2024, held at a joint session of the EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and the Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT).

“The recording raises serious concerns about potential external interference, financial deals, and political pressure in the appointment of a Bulgarian prosecutor to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office,” Vigenin stated, highlighting that neither the institution nor prosecutor Teodora Georgieva has responded to the allegations for over a week.

He further asked Kövesi: “Given the high ethical standards that European prosecutors must uphold, do you consider this silence acceptable? What specific steps will you take to ensure that this case does not undermine the trust in the institution?”

Additionally, Vigenin inquired whether the EPPO has an internal mechanism to guarantee the integrity of the delegated prosecutors, not only during their appointment but also throughout their activities.

In her reply, Laura Kövesi stated that an ongoing investigation is examining events that may have occurred before the appointment of the European delegated prosecutor from Bulgaria. This is the reason not to comment the case. However, she assured that EPPO has strict mechanisms to uphold ethical standards and discipline among its prosecutors. According to Kövesi, the institution follows serious rules and procedures to ensure transparency and integrity in the work of its delegated prosecutors. She emphasized that EPPO has mechanisms to allow the reassignment of cases between prosecutors and even the replacement of supervising prosecutors if necessary. Kövesi reaffirmed that EPPO adheres to the highest ethical standards to guarantee trust in the institution.