site.btaParliament Lifts Immunity of Volen Siderov, Dessislav Choukolov

Parliament Lifts Immunity of Volen Siderov, Dessislav Choukolov

Sofia, November 5 (BTA) - Parliament on Thursday lifted the immunity of Ataka MPs Volen Siderov and Dessislav Choukolov. MPs of all parliamentary groups but Ataka supported the motion.

On the night of October 9, Siderov and Choukolov accused the owners of a small tobacco shop in central Sofia of selling drugs and displayed aggressive behaviour.

On October 12, Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov motioned Parliament to strip of immunity Siderov and Choukolov so that the prosecution can open proceedings against the two for acts of hooliganism. An ad hoc parliamentary committee gave the green light to the immunity stripping procedure.

The vote was 144 in favour, 11 against and one abstention to lift Siderov's immunity and 148 in favour, and 11 against for Choukolov's respectively.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Siderov said that the Bulgarian drug mafia was dealing a heavy blow on him with the heavy head of the state machinery.