Bulgarian MEPs Ask Justice for Bulgarian-Macedonian Prisoner

The Members of the European Parliament from Bulgaria demand measures against Macedonia's policy of intimidating all its citizens who believe in their Bulgarian background. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian MEPs from all political groups have united in sending a letter to the EU Commissioners for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, and for Enlargement, Stefan Fuele in support of Macedonian citizen with Bulgarian passport, Miroslav Rizinski.

The Members of the European Parliament from Bulgaria state Rizinski, who has double citizenship is serving an unjust sentence in Macedonian jail and they are convinced this sentence is politically motivated.

The letter describes in details facts about the arrest and the sentencing of the man and his activities, pointing out the politicians' unified position about Macedonia leading a consistent policy of intimidating all who believe in their Bulgarian background. In addition to Rizinski, MEPs give Spaska Mitrova as another example of an EU citizen used for admonition to all those who define themselves as Bulgarians.

"We believe such policy does not align with EU principles," the declaration reads.

The Bulgarian MEPs appeal to the European Commission to conduct a probe in the case and take a stance; to ask authorities in Skopje to allow Rizinski's transfer to a Bulgarian jail as is his right under the Council of Europe Convention.

Rizinski is one of the managers of the Bulgarian Culture Club in Skopje. He was arrested as an employee of the Macedonian Bureau for Economically Underdeveloped Regions and charged with receiving a bribe to move forward a payment for a project. Rizinski and his defense council insist he is innocent and has been framed.

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