site.btaParliament Establishes Ad-hoc Committee for Vesselin Mareshki's Immunity

Parliament Establishes Ad-hoc Committee for Vesselin Mareshki's Immunity

Sofia, May 5 (BTA) - Parliament established Friday, at the Prosecutor General's request, an ad-hoc committee for allowing the criminal prosecution of Volya party leader and MP Vesselin Mareshki.

Vesselin Mareshki, leader of the Volya party, is facing criminal proceedings on charges of extortion, threats and assaulting a municipal councilor.

The committee is established since Mareshki has not given up his MP immunity. The committee is to probe and find out if there is enough evidence that a crime has been committed by Mareshki and propose a decision in response to the Prosecutor General's request.

The committee, which is elected for a period of seven days, consists of ten MPs (two from each parliamentary group). Hristian Mitev of the United Patriots was elected as its chair.

Mareshki told journalists in Parliament Friday that he will give up his immunity after he presents the facts before the committee.

"I will give up my immunity after the committee's first meeting," he said, adding that a couple of hours would be needed for him to clarify the facts surrounding the assault charges against him. According to him, everything happened in front of many witnesses, including two police officers.

Mareshki said that he did not run in the elections to acquire immunity, but will use the situation to give it maximum publicity. "I will not allow to be 'cooked' in the dark, like they're trying to do", he said.

The ad-hoc committee's first meeting is scheduled for next Wendesday, its chair Mitev said.

New items were included in Parliament's agenda at the start of its Friday meeting, including the dismissal of the National Social Security head, Bisser Petkov, who was elected as Minister of Labour and Social Policy, and for terminating the powers of six MPs.