site.btaEuropean Public Prosecutor's Office Welcomes Opportunity to Work with Bulgarian Interior Ministry and Customs Agency

Sofia, November 29 (BTA) - Caretaker Justice Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev has had an online meeting with European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi, the Justice Ministry said on Monday. The two officials discussed the strengthening of the cooperation between the Bulgarian authorities and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO).

Demerdzhiev recalled that as announced on November 19, the Interior Ministry and the Customs Agency, in addition to the Bulgarian prosecution service, can submit alerts about criminal proceedings to the EPPO.

Kovesi praised the efforts of the team in the Bulgarian Justice Ministry regarding issues raised in June.

The European Chief Prosecutor welcomed the expansion of the reporting method under Article 24(1) and (2) of the Regulation on the EPPO. Thus, the EPPO can receive alerts directly from Bulgarian police, the Border Police, and the Customs Agency. This will improve not only the cooperation between institutions but also the quality of the court cases.

Kovesi said that overall, the cooperation between Bulgaria and the EPPO is good, even though initially the EPPO only received smaller cases because they all had to first go through the Bulgarian prosecution service.

The expansion of the reporting method allows the EPPO to discuss directly various issues with the authorities in the first line of crime detection, Kovesi said.

The two also discussed the need for changes in Bulgarian legislation in connection with the work of the EPPO. The Justice Ministry is actively working on these issues and is ready to bring them to the 47th National Assembly, the Ministry added. DD/YV