Bulgaria Mulls Lifting Immunity of Wannabe MPs

The infamous Galevi brothers, allegedly amongst Bulgaria's central mafia bosses, also officially ran for parliament in 2009 and were released to campaign. File photo

Bulgaria is considering the abolition of immunity from prosecution for candidate members of parliament, it emerged on Thursday.

“Bulgaria is the only European country, which provides immunity for runners for parliament,” Maya Manolova, the Socialist chair of the ad hoc committee, which is drawing up a new electoral code, said.

Meanwhile, ethnic Turkish members proposed a partial abolition of immunity, so that candidates for members of parliament are still provided with some protection from political rivals.

During the general elections in 2009, it emerged that Bulgaria's top criminals have found a new way to avoid or delay prosecution, causing uproar across the country.

Three different cases caused widespread condemnation, all of which involve alleged criminals running for public office to avoid prosecution.

The most high profile of the three was announced when the Sofia City Court postponed proceedings against the former "Kremikovtzi" steel mill and CSKA Sofia FC Director, Alexander Tomov, due to him running as a candidate in the EP elections.

Tomov was indicted for document fraud and embezzlement of over EUR 5 M from CSKA and BGN 29 M from the steel mill.

Elsewhere, two Municipal Councilmen from Bulgaria's Black Sea capital, Vesselin and Hristo Danovi, a father and son who spent over a year in custody over allegations of racketeering, enticement into prostitution and money laundering, attempted to enter the Bulgaria general elections race, so as to receive a get out of jail free card.

Finally and maybe most shockingly, the infamous Galevi brothers, allegedly amongst Bulgaria's central mafia bosses and at that time held also in custody, also officially ran for parliament and were released to campaign.

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