site.btaBulgarian Prosecutor General Tsatsarov, Russian Counterpart Chaika Sign Cooperation Agreement

Sofia, September 18 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov conferred here on Monday with his Russian counterpart Yury Chaika at the Palace of Justice, Tsatsarov's Office said in a press release. The two signed a Cooperation Programme between the two institutions for the period 2017-2019.

The two countries' prosecution offices will exchange experience in counterterrorism, the fight against radicalization and extremism, as well as tackling transnational organized crime, the press release said.

Yury Chaika is paying a two-day official visit to Bulgaria as part of a Cooperation Agreement he had signed back in October of 2008 with then Bulgarian prosecutor general Boris Velchev.

The Cooperation Agreement provides for annual visits of Bulgarian prosecutors to Russia and vice versa, the Prosecution Office explained. These meetings focus on matters related to the fight against organized crime and terrorism, as well pertinent legislative initiatives.

Prior to Chaika's arrival, Yes, Bulgaria! activists placed a banner reading "Chaika Out of Europe" on a pedestrian overpass above Sofia's Tsarigradsko Chaussee Boulevard on Monday morning, the party said. The banner was removed shortly after that.

"This visit is emblematic of the process of the intensifying erosion of democratic institutions, a strengthening of the corrupt 'deep state and consolidation of authoritarian power practices. Bulgaria is humiliated to be not only a prosecutorial republic but to become yet again a 16th prosecutorial republic," Yes, Bulgaria! said in a declaration.

The party says that "Mr Chaika is not welcome on the territory of European Bulgaria and his reception in Bulgaria is not in our name. This is a disgraceful act which we must oppose."

Interviewed on bTV, Yes, Bulgaria! leader and former justice minister Hristo Ivanov described Chaika as "a rather frightful person" and supposed that he would bring a message because, as he put it, what is going on with Bulgaria's defence industry cannot possibly be unrelated to Russian interests.