GERB and Greatness Protected the Immunities of Bulgarian MPs from DPS and 'Revival'

The Bulgarian Parliament, with the support of the parties GERB and "Greatness", voted to preserve the immunities of six MPs from DPS-Dogan and "Revival", effectively halting ongoing investigations against them. Initially, the parliamentary agenda for Thursday included a vote on lifting the immunities of Jeyhan Ibryamov and Mario Rangelov from DPS-Dogan, as well as Slavcho Krumov, Ivaylo Chorbov, Yordan Todorov, and Nikola Dimitrov from Revival. However, Petar Petrov from Revival proposed removing the vote from the agenda, a motion supported by GERB, Greatness, and the parties to which the implicated MPs belong.

Jeyhan Ibryamov faces charges of influence peddling and attempted fraud, stemming from his arrest ahead of the October 2024 parliamentary elections. The arrest, occurring amid an internal conflict within DPS between the factions of Ahmed Dogan and Delyan Peevski, was perceived by his associates as politically motivated.

Mario Rangelov, also from DPS-Dogan, is accused of leading a vote-trading group, with the Ministry of Interior reportedly collecting evidence against him in the October 2024 elections. Despite previous refusals to lift their immunities in January, Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov submitted new requests for parliamentary consideration.

Meanwhile, four MPs from Revival – Slavcho Krumov, Ivaylo Chorbov, Yordan Todorov, and Nikola Dimitrov – are accused of hooliganism related to a February protest targeting the "House of Europe", the European Commission’s office in Sofia. The demonstration escalated into vandalism, with eggs and paint thrown at the building, its door set on fire, and windows broken.

Lena Borislavova from the WCC-DB sought to introduce a proposal for establishing a temporary committee to review the requests for lifting the immunities, but her motion was rejected by a majority vote. Subsequently, Petar Petrov’s proposal to remove the items related to the immunities from the agenda was put to a vote. It passed with 120 votes in favor from GERB, Revival, DPS-Dogan, and Greatness, while 68 MPs from WCC-DB, DPS-New Beginning, and MECH opposed. BSP and TISP abstained with 35 votes.

The decision prompted sharp criticism from WCC-DB, whose member Yavor Bozhankov accused GERB of shielding the implicated MPs, asserting that the issue extends beyond simple vandalism, framing it as an attack on the House of Europe. In response, DPS-New Beginning's Hamid Hamid derided WCC-DB’s Nikolai Denkov, labeling him a "lawyer for criminals" and dismissing the proposal to form a committee as a cover-up attempt.

Delyan Peevski, leader of DPS-New Beginning, expressed frustration with the parliament’s inaction, characterizing it as a "pathetic work" and a "depleted parliament." He criticized WCC-DB for allegedly protecting "scoundrels and fascists," and questioned the purpose of the National Assembly if it continues to operate in this manner. Peevski urged the ruling coalition to present a coherent legislative program, emphasizing that without decisive action, public confidence in the parliament will continue to erode.