site.btaPlamen Georgiev Elected Chief of New Anti-Corruption Commission

Sofia, March 8 (BTA) - Plamen Georgiev was elected Chairman of the new Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday.

Georgiev was nominated by GERB and the United Patriots of the ruling coalition. Nikolai Nikolov was the candidate of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party.

Georgiev was elected on 148 votes in favour, 66 against and four abstentions. Nikolov was backed by 79 MPs. Sixty-two voted against and 73 abstained.

During debates on the election GERB and the BSP clashed on the extent to which each of the candidates was free of political dependencies. The socialist party said that Georgiev had served as a deputy justice minister in the first Borissov government. GERB responded that Nikolov served as municipal councillor for the BSP in Lovech.

Socialist MP Kristina Sidorova said that GERB omitted certain facts form Georgiev's background such as the fact that he was prosecutor in several high-profile cases: the Sofiisky Imoti trial, the case against Kardzhali mayor Hassan Azis, and the case of the leaked recordings involving former customs chief Vanyo Tanov.

GERB MP Danail Kirilov said that Georgiev was deputy justice minister between 2011 and 2013 under Diana Kovacheva who was from the civil quota in the government.

GERB floor leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that Georgiev's cases have resulted in convictions for politicians.