2 MPs from Bulgaria's Ethnic Turkish DPS Give Up Immunity

Gyunay Sefer (R) and Mithat Tabakov (L) from ethnic Turkish DPS have given up their MP immunity. Photo by BGNES

Mithat Tabakov and Gyunay Sefer, MPs from ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, have given up their immunity as MPs, thereby agreeing for criminal investigation procedures to be opened against them.

The voluntary relinquishment of MP immunity by Tabakov and Sefer was announced Wednesday by Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva.

On October 19, Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev called for the removal of the immunity of the two DPS MPs.

Two pre-trial proceedings are underway against Tabakov and Sefer on suspicion of document fraud and malfeasance in office.

The prosecuting authority claimed that enough evidence had been gathered for document fraud committed by Sefer and for large-scale embezzlement for Tabakov.

Sefer is a former District Governor of the northeastern city of Silistra and Tabakov a former mayor of the town of Dulovo.

Under Parliament's rules of procedure, when MPs give up their immunity of their own free will, the step does not require the approval of the Parliament.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!