Bulgarian Politics: Trial of Kiril Petkov Set to Begin on June 10 with Witness Testimonies

The trial against former Prime Minister and "We Continue the Change" co-leader Kiril Petkov will officially begin on June 10, with the hearing of witnesses. The initial procedural session took place today.

Petkov is accused of having ordered the 2022 arrests of GERB leader Boyko Borissov, former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov, and PR adviser Sevdelina Arnaudova while serving as prime minister. His lawyer, Daniela Dokovska, asked the court to return the case to the prosecution due to serious procedural errors, but the court denied the request, allowing the proceedings to move forward.

Prosecutor Angel Kanev, who is handling the case, said he aims to demonstrate that Petkov abused his powers, and will use witness testimonies and video recordings as evidence. Kanev also confirmed that Borissov has not yet been questioned, but likely will be during the trial. In response to why only Petkov is facing charges, the prosecutor said a separate case involving the police officers responsible for the arrests is being handled by the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office, though its status remains unclear. He added there is no evidence that then-Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov issued direct orders for the detentions.

Kiril Petkov maintains he is not guilty but refrained from commenting in detail about the charges, citing a lack of trust in the prosecution and expressing confidence in the court. He stated that Bulgarian politicians fall into two categories: those who fear the court and those who do not. According to Petkov, fear of the judiciary implies external dependency, while fearlessness signals independence.