site.btaSupreme Judicial Council Opens Probe Into Investigator's Disclosures of "Special Task Unit" for Political Cases in Sofia Investigative Service

Supreme Judicial Council Opens Probe Into Investigator's Disclosures of "Special Task Unit" for Political Cases in Sofia Investigative Service

Sofia, February 22 (BTA) - The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) said Monday that its Ethics Commission opens a probe into allegations by investigator Boyko Atanassov that a "special task unit" exists with the Sofia Investigative Service for political cases. The probe was initiated on the request of Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov.

In a recent interview in the website for investigative journalism, bivol.bg, Atanassov said that this special task unit consist of six-seven investigator who are assigned all cases for economic and political corruption and offences perpetrated by senior power holders. According to him, these are secret cases which are activated when needed to influence the position of one of another decision-maker. He also said in the interview that prosecutors who refuse to obey the Prosecutor General are punished with excessive workload and disciplinary procedures.

The SJC Ethics Commission will seek the position of Sotir Tsatsarov and Sofia City Prosecutor Hristo Dinev on Atanassov's allegations for non-conformity with the principle of random case assignment and violation of provisions of the Code of Penal Procedure.

Atanassov will be given a hearing by the Commission on March 7.