Kiril Petkov Faces Legal Action Amid Allegations of Abuse of Power as Prime Minister

Kiril Petkov, co-chair of "We Continue the Change," has been summoned to the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, where he is set to face charges. The accusations stem from the arrest of GERB leader Boyko Borisov, the party's PR Sevdelina Arnaudova, and former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov on March 17, 2022. The state prosecution alleges that Petkov, as Prime Minister at the time, exceeded his authority by unlawfully ordering their detention, which reportedly harmed their reputation and had adverse consequences for the state by "damaging the prestige of the executive branch."

Public support for Kiril Petkov has been organized through social media, where sympathizers of "We Continue the Change" have called for a protest in front of the former Specialized Court building. The gathering is expected to express solidarity with Petkov during the legal proceedings.

The arrests carried out in 2022 faced immediate legal challenges. The court rejected the detention measures due to a lack of support from the prosecutor's office. More than two years later, acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov requested Petkov’s parliamentary immunity, which Petkov voluntarily waived.

Asen Vassilev, the other co-chair of "We Continue the Change," stated that he is not a subject of investigation regarding the events of March 17, 2022, despite being present at the Council of Ministers that evening. According to Vassilev, neither he nor Boyko Rashkov, then Minister of Internal Affairs and also present at the cabinet meeting, have been sought for questioning. Vassilev made these comments during a television interview on BTV, expressing skepticism about the judicial process and describing the accusations as politically motivated.

Vassilev also addressed another controversy involving the Customs Agency, where his driver has been in custody for weeks amid allegations of a corruption scheme. While leaked testimonies suggest Vassilev might be implicated as the ultimate recipient of diverted funds, he has not been questioned or accused, and there have been no requests to lift his immunity. He criticized the handling of the case, alleging a deliberate selection of judicial panels to ensure the measures pass through court.

Sources:

• News.bg
• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)