What would a cross-talk between Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev and Prime Minister Kiril Petkov look like without violating the separation of powers and the rule of law. That is why in BLIC TV we made this conversation in absentia to see the arguments of the two institutions.
We understand from Kiril Petkov’s public appearances that after seeing the new report of the Ministry of Finance, he doubted that it was not governed legally. Linking the words of Vasil Bozhkov thrown in the public space that he gave money to high-ranking government officials through extortion. The Prime Minister decided to become a witness and to acquaint the European Prosecutor’s Office with this.
Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev began by saying that he did not know that Laura Coveschi was aware of this case, which was not directly related to her. Prosecutor №1 hinted that the Ministry of the Interior and the Prosecutor’s Office did not cooperate effectively because the work of prosecutors in the pre-trial proceedings was neglected. Geshev described this as political pressure that has a history and is now being followed by “We continue to change”.
Is the scenario repeated with banker Tsvetan Vassilev, who also wants to testify outside the courtroom and be interrogated by videoconference. Here, the Attorney General has a sense of déjà vu.
It is obvious that Kiril Petkov and the Minister of Finance Asen Vassilev, as well as the Minister of Interior Boyko Rashkov, are trying to give evidence to the accused Vasil Bozhkov. He wants to testify to deal with the prosecution.
In his statements from Dubai, the gambling boss reiterated that “racketeering is not a bribe” he wants to talk about, but he is accused. For him, the administrative head of the prosecutor’s office is a participant. Thus, Bozhkov joined the ranks of those who want changes in the state prosecution. And it is no secret that Kiril Petkov wants that too.
Here is the dawn to interrogate a man with 18 accusations and imposed sanctions under “Magnitsky”, for whom Kiril Petkov has caught himself as a drowning man for a straw for reforms in the judiciary and curbing corruption.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that he has witnessed precisely for this reason, to expose corruption in the Ministry of Finance by waving the pillars of Vasil Bozhkov and the PFIA report on the missing nearly BGN 500 million.
Recall that the money was recovered with the closure of the State Gambling Commission and after it stopped the ticketing business, which was patronized by the accused businessman, who gives a mind from Dubai.
Ivan Geshev suggested a scenario for those who want the gambling boss to testify. First, an investigation is launched into the accused Bozhkov, who of course is innocent until proven otherwise, according to the basic principles of the Bulgarian Constitution. Accordingly, he is hiding in Dubai, a country with which we do not have the relevant legal cooperation agreement, and it starts: you could not return it, and we do not have the relevant agreements with that country. And it is clear that things are difficult there and they are difficult not only for Bulgaria, they are difficult for the EU, for the United States.
“The chief prosecutor does not extend arrests, but does not investigate or stretch umbrellas” – the powers he has proposed by Hristo Ivanov and accepted with the changes in the JSA, Geshev said. And he threatened that there was evidence regardless of who the state prosecution would do its job against. Including ministers from Boyko Borissov’s cabinet.
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