As of April 22, the Sofia City Prosecution Office reported that 166 election-related case files had been opened in response to allegations concerning the handling of matters involving individuals with immunity. In a statement, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov noted that 72 parliamentary candidates with immunity were implicated in vote-buying allegations, though no immunity has been revoked for any of them. Of these case files, seven have advanced to pre-trial proceedings, nine were transferred to other offices due to jurisdictional concerns, and 96 were assigned for review.
The prosecution also reported that supervising prosecutors have individually requested necessary documentation for other case reviews. A significant number of closed files were submitted by the Ministry of Interior, concluding that there was insufficient evidence of a crime against political rights or any other offense. Many closed case files originated from anonymous reports, where the information, while checked, could not be confirmed, often containing vague or unsubstantiated claims.
The prosecution emphasized that suggestions must be supported by specific data and verifiable facts. Looking at broader statistics, the office reported that between the start of the election campaign and April 20, a total of 3,021 case files had been opened, leading to 599 pre-trial proceedings. The office confirmed that if sufficient evidence is gathered during ongoing pre-trial proceedings, steps will be taken to lift an individual’s immunity.
Topics: #immunity #case #files
