The Yes, Bulgaria party accused prosecutors on Friday of being used to target officials involved in institutional reform. These accusations followed statements from Interior Ministry acting Secretary General Georgi Kandev, who claimed he was facing pressure and being smeared through false testimony regarding unspecified wrongdoing. Speaking at a party briefing, Yes, Bulgaria co-chair Ivaylo Mirchev stated that the prosecution service was being utilized as part of what he termed the “Borissov-Peevski model,” named after GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Movement for Rights and Freedoms leader Delyan Peevski.
Mirchev asserted that this model was continuing to function, with the prosecution once again being used against reformers. His comments followed Kandev’s earlier Facebook video, where he reported receiving calls from unknown numbers alleging that individuals were providing false testimony against him at the Sofia City Prosecution Office, an effort he believed aimed to force his resignation. Mirchev characterized the current pressure against Kandev, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev, and caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov as an attempt at retaliation for their prior efforts to guarantee fair elections.
Furthermore, Mirchev announced that he and fellow co-chair Bozhidar Bozhanov had submitted an alert to the prosecution service concerning a journalistic investigation by BIRD. This investigation alleged recordings of conversations between former Supreme Administrative Court chairman Georgi Cholakov and an intermediary regarding bribery in court decisions. Mirchev called Cholakov “Peevski’s lawyer,” demanding an immediate investigation.
Bozhanov called for thorough checks of all related reports and reviews of assets for senior magistrates, including acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov. The party also indicated it would request a parliamentary hearing regarding media reports suggesting Delyan Peevski had used private jets for international travel without declaring the expenses, which is inconsistent with his reported financial means.
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