The prosecutor’s office sent a letter to Ivaylo Mirchev from “Democratic Bulgaria” (DB), signed by deputy chief prosecutor Krasimira Filipova, in which he was informed that chief prosecutor Ivan Geshev was on leave during the trip for the so-called from the press center of his participation in the National Prayer Breakfast in the USA, reported the press center of DB.
Already in his capacity as a member of parliament, Mirchev sent an inquiry to the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office with four questions: at the invitation of which congressmen Geshev is going to the event, who is paying the participation fee and what business cards he is traveling with, who is accompanying him.
“In the period from 30.01.2023 to 7.02.2023 inclusive, Ivan Stoimenov Geshev – Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of Bulgaria, was on leave. The visit to the USA you mentioned was not financed with funds from the budget of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria”, the letter of the Deputy Prosecutor General says.
The private visit is the reason for refusing further information, although the press office of the prosecutor’s office abundantly informed about his meetings in the US. “This approach of the prosecutor’s office to introduce the public to what the chief prosecutor will do during his vacation is innovative.” commented Ivaylo Mirchev, reminding that the prosecutor’s office solemnly announced Geshev’s departure for the “prayer breakfast” and did not cover his meetings in the USA on its website. However, he emphasizes that the question remains unanswered as to whether another employee of the prosecutor’s office was sent with him and whether he was also on leave.
The US Embassy and the organizers of the event denied inviting Bulgaria’s attorney general to the prayer breakfast. Geshev watches the prayer breakfast itself from a video wall in another room. The real reason for his visit turned out to be participation in the forum “How to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine and the malicious influence of China in Europe”. The organizers of the event were Congressmen Pete Sessions and Robert Aderhold. Sessions is famous for trying to thwart the US government’s sanctions against Russia and Iran, as well as for lobbying meetings with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He is even under investigation in the US for funding from Moscow.
